A Journey to Find Her
by Layana Danare
Summary: Exile is gone. Revan is gone. Carth, Atton, & the rest of the Ebon Hawk's crew have banded together to search for them. Eventually AttonxLSFExile & CarthxLSFRevan. Chapter 15 now up!
1. Beginning

_Please Review!_

_ I don't own Atton or Mandalore. Or Mira, Mical, Bao-Dur, Carth Onasi or Visas for that matter. I only partially own Adaliah, she's the exile, but I've given her my own personality._

_In case you wonder, Lekku are a twi'lek's head tails. But you probably already knew that. Now start reading!_

* * *

Chapter One

Beginning

Atton Rand coughed in the smoky room. He hadn't seen a cantina as messy as this one for two years, ever since he'd wrecked the one on Nar Shaddaa while fighting the Twin Suns. His eyes stung and his head spun. _Maybe it's just this corner, _He thought._ It looks clearer over there. _He got up on unsteady legs and wobbled over to another table.

Atton sunk down into a chair. He chuckled at himself, _never thought I'd be chasing her through the galaxy. _He thought bitterly.

When he'd fallen in love with the Exile, he would never have thought he'd have to prove it by chasing her beyond the outer rim. Six months ago, Adaliah Starn had left for the unknown regions of space, taking her loyal droids, T3-M4 the astromech droid and HK-47 the assassination droid, with her. She hadn't told anyone where she was going. Carth Onasi, an Admiral of the Republic, had given him his own starship to search for her... not that Atton wouldn't have gone on his own money.

Thinking of the Exile reminded him of Mical, the Disciple. They both had silvery blue eyes and bleached blond hair, both were kind and gentle, but Adaliah had a teasing side to her that Mical lacked. Perhaps that was why they'd always seemed to just... _go_ together. _She always brings out his best side, but what does she bring out in me? My darkest secrets, that's all._ Atton thought miserably. His fists clenched under the table. He and Mical had never been very good friends and they had not parted on the best of terms. In fact, none of Adaliah's companions were feeling very friendly toward him.

_"Where are you off to?"_

_Atton flinched away from the voice. It was one he knew well. The voice belonged to a young, blond-haired, blue-eyed man. Mical._

_"What do you want, Mical?" Atton said, stuffing his faithful mesh jacket into his bag. _

_"Nothing," Mical replied. "Just wondering why you were packing."_

_"Then leave me alone," Atton punched an extra shirt into his duffel bag._

_Mical raised his eyebrows and backed out of the room quietly, bumping into Mira, the red-haired bounty hunter from Nar Shaddaa. She slid past him and slipped into the room._

_"What was that about?" She asked, ripping Atton's fingerless gloves out of his hands._

_"Nothing," Atton said, avoiding her eyes._

_"Well, obviously something is wrong," She replied, raising her eyebrows, "because you don't want to talk about it."_

_"And that automatically means something is wrong?" Atton asked, knowing what she'd say next._

_"I think we both know the answer to that," the red-maned girl flopped down on the bed. "I suggest you start talking."_

_"I don't have to talk to you if I don't want to," Atton snapped, grabbing her under the arms and dragging her off the bed. He tossed her on the floor carelessly and jerked the gloves out of her hands. "I believe those are mine."_

_Mira was up in a flash, her loyal wrist launcher pointed a poison dart right at Atton's head. "You can't throw me around just because you want to, Atton. I'm not some little girl, I can and I will pound you into the ground if I have to."_

_Atton snorted and continued his packing without turning around. He pulled his gloves on and reached for his bag. Mira dropped her arm._

_"Atton," She said softly, which was unusual for her, "What is wrong?"_

_"All right, what do you think is wrong?" Atton shouted, "Adaliah left without telling anyone where she was going! That might make me upset!"_

_"Just because you're angry that she left without telling you doesn't give you leave to toss me like a rag doll and treat Mical like dirt," the bounty hunter said coolly. _

_"Why can't you just leave me alone?!" Atton shouted back as he ran out of the room, shoving Visas Marr and Bao-Dur out of his path._

A Twi'lek serving girl came over, "are you all right?" She asked in her smooth voice.

"It's this room, is the foggy stuff smoke or gas?" Atton asked, his voice raspy.

"Smoke," The Twi'lek purred. "Maybe you've had too much to drink."

"No, I don't think so, "Atton replied, "I've only had one glass of Juma juice."

The Twi'lek girl cocked her head and stared at him, "you look drunk to me."

Atton looked up, "trust me, I can gulp down ten glasses of Juma before I start getting bleary- eyed. I'm telling you, there's something wrong with the air. I'm not drunk, I'm sick."

"Have it your way," she shrugged. "Maybe you should go into the back room. The air's cleaner there. There's a lot of humans back there."

"Thanks," Atton said, "I think I will." He got up again and went around to the back room. His breath caught as he stumbled into the room. The Twi'lek girl had been under exaggerating when she said there were a lot of humans. The room was clogged with men, women and serving girls. Their voices blended together and sounded like insects buzzing.

Atton lowered himself into a seat in the corner and put his hands over his ears.

"Feeling all right, Atton?"

Atton spun around, and groaned. "Mandalore, I should have known you'd chase me here."

"I'm surprised that you didn't notice me on the ship, these two weeks past," The iron-clad mandalorian replied. "I heard you had a little argument with Mira, none of us are very pleased with you now."

"I know, I know," Atton sighed. "It's just that I-I didn't want to talk right then."

"I know this must be pretty hard for you, not knowing where she went, or why," Mandalore held his hand up for the waitress.

"You're acting like you know why she went," Atton raised his eyes to look at the mandalorian.

"That's because she left me a little something," Mandalore dropped something small and round onto the table.

"A projector?" Atton asked.

"Yes, go ahead and watch it if you want. I'm getting a drink," Mandalore said as the waitress passed them by.

Atton watched him go. Then he slowly reached out a finger and activated the holographic projector. A faint, blue woman rose out of the projector.

"Hello, Mandalore. By the time you watch this, I will most likely be on my way beyond the outer rim. I've taken the Ebon-hawk and the two droids, they will keep me quite safe. You're probably wondering why I left. I can't tell you everything, but I think I've found a lead to Revan. I'm sorry I didn't ask you to come with me, I know how much finding her means to you, but I didn't think I should take anyone other then T3-M4 and HK-47. No one will be offended that I took them.

"I haven't left holograms for anyone else, I only wanted to let you know that I've gone to find Revan. And please, don't let Atton follow. Good-bye."

Atton's hands balled into fists once again as the blue woman, Adaliah faded. Mandalore came back from the counter and saw him gritting his teeth in rage.

"Atton, you look almost like a Sith! Stop it!" Mandalore said, plunking down in the chair across from him.

"Why'd she do it, Mandalore? Why doesn't she want me to follow her?" Atton asked.

"I don't think she wanted either of us to follow her, you know how they say Revan left all she loved behind," Mandalore said, looking into his drink.

"Yeah, but-" Atton started, "wait. Did you say 'either?'"

"I'm looking for her too, Atton," Mandalore said. "I've already lost Revan, and I'm not about to lose Adaliah. Thing is, I may have already lost her. I should have been on the first ship out since Adaliah left. Now, I'm not sure how we'll find her."

"Y'know," Atton said, "for the first time since I started out, I think I'm gonna find her. Come on, maybe she stopped at this cantina. We'll ask the owner."

Mandalore looked up, "You go ahead. I'm going to finish this drink."

Atton shrugged and walked away. Stepping up to the counter, he raised a finger for service. The owner of the bar stepped up, "What you want?" He hissed, "I got to keep pouring up drinks."

"I need some information about someone who may have passed through here," Atton said.

"I can't help you if I don't know who your talking about or when she passed through, and even then, it's bad for business to tell about other people's affairs," the old man growled.

"It was a woman of about thirty years, she has silver-blue eyes and light blond hair. She's a Jedi, but she might have hidden that. She might have had two droids with her, an assassination droid of a rust-red color, and a protocol droid," Atton said urgently. "She would have passed through only a few days ago."

"I'm sorry, but I've been gone for two weeks, sir. I know nothing," the man said slowly. "But..."

"But what?" Atton asked.

"I do have a serving girl who is on duty from the time this cantina opens 'till the time she closes. She's always here, dancing or serving," the old man said.

"And how much would it take to buy her time?" Atton asked slyly.

"Oh, I wouldn't take less than 1000 gold credits..." The owner trailed off. "But that's a lot of money, I doubt that anything she'll say would be worth 2 red credits," he said in a hurry.

Atton reached into his ribbed jacket and pulled out a handful of gold credits, "here's your money. Now where's the girl?"

The owner looked at the money, then back at Atton. "She's dancing right now, go speak to Uduundin. He may let her off thirty minutes early. Oh, and she's the human one."

Atton frowned, nodded and headed to one of the back rooms. Through the smoke he saw several men and women standing around, laughing and talking and occasionally getting a glimpse of the dancers on the platform. A Twi'lek man stood near the platform, and when the music paused, the dancers went to him and he spoke to them.

Atton approached the Twi'lek. He was dressed in such fine things that no one would have ever guessed that he lived in his own corner of the rickety cantina. He stroked his shiny _lekku _and frowned down at Atton whom he towered over.

Atton glared right back, "are you Uduundin?"

"That I am, sir," The Twi'lek said. "I am surprised that you do not know me immediately."

"What do you mean?" Atton asked sharply.

"I am known throughout the galaxy for training dancers. Several of my dancers have become stars," Uduundin said unhappily. "These two girls on the platform, I toured the outer rim worlds with them two years ago. They're quite the dancers."

"I'm not here to talk about that," Atton said.

The Twi'lek sighed and nodded, "what then?"

"I'm looking for one of your dancers, the human one," Atton said, noticing the Iridonian girl on the platform beside a human whose face was hidden from him.

"And what do you need her for?" Uduundin asked.

"I believe she can give me some information on someone," Atton replied. "The owner told me to see you."

"Ah, well I can't do that. I'm working for a living here," Uduundin said. "The owner allows me to keep the profits of these girls' dancing for myself since I trained them."

"And how much would it take to... ensure your well being?"

"500 silver credits ought to do it," Uduundin said slyly.

Atton again reached into his jacket pocket, "500 silver credits."

Uduundin grabbed for the credits, stuck them in a bag around his neck and whistled sharply. The human girl hurried off the platform. Atton stared at her. She seemed so familiar... The girl seemed to recognize him too, she trembled so when she caught her first glimpse of him and a smile pulled at the corners of her lips.

You are to go with this man and answer all questions he puts to you," Uduundin said, shoving her towards Atton. Atton took her arm and led her to a table in the shadows. As soon as they sat down, the girl cried out, "Oh, Atton! I never thought I'd see you again!"

And then Atton knew why she looked so familiar. He had found Taliana Rand at last.


	2. Bounty Prize

_Just to let you know, Falleen and Ishi Tib are real Star Wars aliens! I didn't make them up, so I don't own that type of alien._

_Oh yeah, I thought I'd give you an explanation of my credit thing._

_1 gold credit-2 silver credits_

_1 silver credit-2 blue credits_

_1 blue credit-2 red credits _

* * *

Chapter Two

Bounty Prize

Atton gasped and chuckled and stared all at the same time. Taliana laughed and threw herself against him, hugging her older brother as tight as her arms would let her. Atton laughed clean and strong for the first time in days and squeezed her tight. Taliana rested her head against his chest, sighing contentedly. Then, she pulled away, "Atton, Atton, how did you find me?"

"I came to find someone else, really," Atton admitted. "That's why I wanted to ask you some questions."

"Who are you looking for?" Taliana asked, "perhaps I can help."

Before Atton could answer, Mandalore came up behind Taliana and said in his low voice, "found someone you know, Atton?"

Taliana drew in a sharp breath and whirled around. She stared at the Mandalorian for a moment, then shrank back against Atton. He laughed softly, "Tali, this is only my friend, Mandalore. Don't worry if he creeps you out at first, he did when I first met him."

Mandalore's armored face looked straight back Atton, "I'll waive that remark. This time," He added.

Taliana smiled a little and offered her hand, "I'm Taliana Rand, younger sister to Atton." She paused, "are you also looking for the person he is looking for?"

Mandalore shook her hand briefly and let it go, "Yes." He replied shortly, sitting down in one of the chairs, "So, let's get down to business."

Atton nodded and sat down across from Mandalore. Taliana pulled up her own chair and sat down, "I'll tell you whatever I can, though I don't know how much help it will be."

"We're looking for a woman of about twenty-nine," Mandalore said. "She is a Jedi, but she might have hidden that from you."

"She has silver-blue eyes and light blond hair that she usually wears braided. When it's not, it's about halfway down her back," Atton added. "She walks like a dancer, smooth and graceful."

"I think I might recall her," Taliana said. "Does she play pazaak?"

"Yes, and she usually bets at least 200 red credits on her first game, then she raises the stakes to 500 if she's lucky, or even if she's not," Atton said, shaking his head.

"Yes, I remember her." Taliana said, "she was playing some aliens at that table, Ishi Tib I think." She gestured across the room. "She played them until she lost all her credits and she bet her blaster. Then she began to win and won back all her money, and all the aliens money."

"And then?" Mandalore asked.

"She said something to the Ishi Tib about their operations," Taliana said, frowning in thought. "Illegal spice smuggling, slave trade. She said she wanted to join them." Taliana said, "they didn't believe her, but she kept trying to convince them. Finally, the leader agreed to let her come on the ship, and took her prisoner."

"How did they take her prisoner?" Atton asked, trying to keep his voice steady.

"Whipped out a blaster, set on high stun, and stunned her," Taliana said. "But, I don't understand. If she's a Jedi, as you claim, couldn't she have blocked that?"

"Yes," Mandalore said. "The only reason she'd do that is if she wanted to be captured."

"Always knew your mind was ten times slower than mine, Mandalore," Atton said dryly. He turned back to Taliana, "So they stunned her, and they just walked out of here with her?"

"Yeah," Taliana said, "no one was brave enough to stop them."

"Did you notice anything unusual on their clothing?" Mandalore asked. "Perhaps a patch or pin? Something that would show they're working for someone?"

"No," Taliana said, "they were all wearing armor, different kinds. There was nothing to show that they were together, except that they all sat together."

Mandalore stood up, "We're wasting our time, Atton. Come on, let's go."

Atton stood up and looked straight into Mandalore's eyes for a moment, or he hoped he was looking in the right place, and nodded. "Go on, I'll see you later."

Atton sat down again, "Tali, I want you to come with us."

"Thank you, Atton," Taliana smiled, "but I don't think I can."

"Why not?" Atton asked. "You can quit your job here, I'll provide for anything you need."

"Atton," Taliana sighed, "you don't understand. I'm not a paid servant. I'm a slave."

Atton stared at her, "_what?_"

"Do you remember when Revan and Malak destroyed our homeworld?" Taliana asked. "We ran for the escape shuttles, and I got separated from you. I got into a shuttle with nine other people, but we didn't get very far. As soon as we were safe from Sith starships, we were picked up by a slaver's ship. They killed all but three of us, including me. They said the others were too old to sell. A Falleen girl named Issa and a young Iridonian man named Krek and I were all given the best of care, we were being prepared to be sold. Krek said he would not be sold like meat in the marketplace. He wanted to escape and take us, but we knew we would only slow him down. He stole a shuttle and escaped alone, the slavers did not get him. Issa and I were sold here and separated. I don't know where she is now. I've lived here for... I don't know how many years."

Atton didn't waste a minute, "How much do you think the owner wants?"

"For me?" Taliana asked, "Oh, Atton! You couldn't afford it!"

"How much?" Atton asked.

"I-I don't know, you'll have to ask him," Taliana said, but she spoke to thin air. Atton was already walking away.

As Atton approached the counter once again, the owner groaned, "oh, you again. What do you want this time?"

"I want the slave girl, Taliana Rand," Atton said sharply.

"Rand is a very valuable slave," the owner replied mildly. "She's famous on Tatooine for her dancing. Out here, beyond the outer rim, she is even more famous."

"I know that," Atton said irritably. "I also know that the right amount of credits can pay for most anything. How much do you want?"

"The price for that girl can't be paid in credits," the bar owner said, raising one eyebrow. "I want a bounty fulfilled."

"What kind of bounty?" Atton asked suspiciously.

"There are some... certain men," the owner began, "who have stolen from me in the past. But they are powerful men, bounty hunters. It is hard to destroy them. Only one man has even begun to hunt them. His name is Calo Nord."

"Nord," Atton gasped. "I thought he was dead! Killed, by Revan on Kashyyyk!"

"Everyone did," the owner hissed. "Anyway, he wants the prize. And the prize is that slave girl you want."


	3. Bounty Race

_Hello people! I just wanted to add a quick note saying why I took so long... I don't know, I just didn't feel like writing. Anyway, If you want to see a pic of what I want my Revan/ Aren Jayde, who will be coming into the story later, to look like, look on my profile and remember to read the message after the link!_

* * *

Chapter Three

Bounty Race

Atton's footsteps pounded in the halls of the huge starship the _Longwing_ that Carth Onasi had given him to search for the exile. Mandalore popped out of a room, "Atton, what happened?"

Atton, whose face was as dark as a raincloud on Kamino, stomped right past Mandalore, not even noticing that he was there. He stomped down the hall and rattled off the code to his quarters in such an angry voice that the computer denied access. He rammed at the keypad... and broke it. Atton wheeled around and stalked off down the corridor to call maintenance, but he never made it to the intercom. Mandalore stopped him and drew his blaster pistol, "Look Atton, I may not be one for conversation, but you are not going anywhere until we've been to my quarters and had a little talk." When the Scoundrel just glared at him, Mandalore jerked him along anyway.

When they were inside his quarters, Mandalore pushed Atton down into a chair, "okay, talk." He said in a hard voice.

"What if I don't want to?" Atton said in a stormy voice with a frown that could kill a rancor on his face

"Well, that's when I call in my friends," Mandalore said as the door slid open. Atton's eyes went wide as Mira, Bao-Dur, Visas, Mical, Bastila Shan, Mission Vao and Zaalbar, and Carth Onasi stepped into the room.

"You didn't think we'd let you go look for our girls all alone, did you?" Carth Onasi asked, his soft brown eyes sparkling with pleasure at Atton's expression.

"I wasn't going to take that space debris from you," Mira said, grinning.

"Can't let you look for Adaliah alone," Mical said, his blue eyes meeting Atton's for the first time in forever.

"Yeah, or Aren either," Mission Vao, a blue Twi'lek, said merrily. Zaalbar the Wookie roared his agreement.

Visas, Bastila Shan and Bao-Dur said nothing, but they stood near with broad smiles on their faces. Atton looked around at all the faces with his eyebrows practically on top of his head. "But... Admiral Onasi!" He said, surprise and anger in his voice, "I thought you were not able to go because the Republic needed you!"

"Someone somewhere needs me more," Carth said quietly. "The Republic has to understand that."

"You mean you didn't tell them you were coming?" Atton asked suspiciously, looking at the Admiral's civilian's clothes.

Carth grinned, "you might say I felt I needed a little private vacation."

Bastila spoke up, "our Jedi friends, Jolee and Juhani would have come, but Jolee had a bad spell and must stay in bed. Juhani has become fiercely loyal to the old man and, although she wishes us all good luck, could not leave him though he bade her go."

"So," Mission said, getting comfortable on a chair and ignoring Mandalore's glare. "Have you found anything?"

Atton looked at the twenty-two year old twi'lek girl, "well kind of..." He squared his shoulders, "I found my sister, lost for so many years. She knew something about Adaliah."

"So where is she?" Mission asked.

"She can't leave," Atton said. "She's slave to an old Bar owner."

"What?" Carth asked, "well why didn't you just buy her?"

"Because he wants some Bounties lifted before he'll let her go," Atton said coldly. "And guess who's my competitor? Calo Nord."

Carth's face went white with surprise, then red with fury, "where is he, that little rat, so that I can kill him. Once and for all!"

_"...I look at you and see the hope for all life." - Mical to the Exile_

Atton turned his head a little so that he could see Carth clearly. Carth's face was twisted, and he seemed to be having trouble breathing. "Uh, Admiral..." Atton said uneasily, "I don't mean to disturb you, but why is killing Nord so important to you?"

"He nearly killed Aren twice," Carth said, "I;m not going to let him get another shot."

The two men were back on the planet's surface, heading for the Bounty Office to check which particular had gotten on the Bar owner's bad side. They had refused help offered from Visas, Mission and Zaalbar, Bao-Dur, and Bastila and gone out to settle the bounties before Calo Nord did. Carth wanted to find Nord and teach him to stay down.

As they approached the office, Atton pulled Carth to a stop, "Look Admiral, if Nord somehow gets the guys we're after first, then I'm with you, let's kill him. But if we get them first, I don't want to waste time, we're not going to hang around hunting him down."

Carth glared at him for a moment, then his face softened, "I guess you're right, but if he comes after Aren, I'll never forgive myself, or you."

"Actually, he might not be too cocky about picking a fight with Aren Jayde," Atton said. "I'm thinking he'll want to stay out of her way."

The two men entered the office. The room was bright, but not at all cheery. It was plain, with a few tables with chairs about the room. Bounty Hunters chattered away while the two men walked up to the Hutt in the corner.

"We'd like to speak to you about some bounties," Carth said. "Tell us about the men that the owner of the Cantina not too far from here are paying to see dead."

"Jugil?" The fat, worm-like creature asked. "Ah yes, he has offered a valuable slave girl in return for the belts of two Bounty Hunters, Kadish Rosh and Fargin Toos. They are rodians, scum but good scum. They know how to break into vaults and steal lots of money, which is what they did to Jugil." The hutt looked at them intently, "are you aware that you will be going against the best in the game? Calo Nord is also looking for these men, he says they'll be a pushover and not much sport, but he wants that slave girl."

"Yeah."

A small man stepped out of the shadows, "You know me," he said, "I'm Nord. I heard that slave girl is your sister, I guess you're trying to free her, right?" He chuckled evilly, "well, that's too bad because I'm going to get those thugs first and win that bounty prize." Then his expression changed, "oh, Carth. I recognize you. You might actually present some sort of challenge." He leaned back, "but you're not too much for me to handle." He raised his eyebrows, "so how about it? Is the Bounty Race on?"


	4. Bounty Search

Chapter Four

Bounty Search

Carth jerked out of the rented speeder and slammed the door. Atton shuddered, he was beginning to wonder if being with Carth when he was this angry was suicide. He looked at Carth's ridged back and sighed. This had to stop.

Atton vaulted out of the speeder- opening the door is so old-fashioned- and ran to catch up with Carth. Atton was glad Aren Jayde had never thought to train any of her non-Jedi crew members in the ways of the force. He could barely catch up with this furious man, force reflexes and all.

"Hey, Carth!" Atton grabbed the admiral's arm. "Slow up."

"Whatsa matter, can't keep up?" Carth joked dryly.

"At least you can joke," Atton replied, "but no, that's not what I was gonna say. You've gotta slow up. Anger leads to the Dark side, y'know. Plus, we're never going to find those Rodian rats first if all you can think about is Calo Nord."

Carth stopped and looked at him, surprised, "that Jedi training's gone to your head, huh? Last time I saw you, years ago... you were locked away in a holding cell for disorderly conduct."

Atton frowned. His lifestyle and attitude _had _changed since meeting Adaliah, but he really hated to admit it. In his mind, he was still a scoundrel, through and through. He just shrugged and looked back at Carth, "all I'm sayin' is that we've gotta keep our heads clear. Or we're never gonna find them. I's the scoundrel way, y'know."

Carth sighed, "I suppose you're right. The sooner we find them, the sooner we can leave this planet. Continue our search."

Atton nodded, "right, that's exactly what I mean."

"So let's review. The Hutt said that the Rodian's have been hiding out in an apartment on the West side of this district. Problem is, they have false identity papers and so the apartment owner probably won't know who they really are, and any people who do know who they really are aren't going to want to tell us because they are probably either being bribed or threatened. So this isn't going to be easy."

"I never said it was going to be," Atton grinned. "Be a scoundrel for a minute, Admiral! That Hutt also said that these guys are working for some big crime lord name Tor'sk."

"Did he?" Carth raised his eyebrows.

"I guess you were too busy fuming to hear. See for your self," Atton handed his datapad to Carth. "I've entered all info we have on the Rodians into this datapad. I figure all we need to do is get into Tor'sk's headquarters so we can get a look at his files. He should have all the information on those grunts. Where they're staying, who they're working with, what kind of weapons they're using, what their next job is... that kind of thing."

"That's a pretty good idea," Carth nodded, looking pleased. "I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner. Aren, she was always doing this kind of thing. I remember we collected several bounties on Taris."

Atton was amazed at how easily Carth could talk about Aren. It had been seven years since he'd seen her, and he could still talk about her as freely as ever. Atton couldn't do that. Adaliah's leaving had been like a knife in the heart, and he found it painful to speak of her.

Carth pounded him on the back, "hey, wake up. I still need you."

Atton forced a smile, "what now?"

"Well, I was just wondering how, exactly, are we going to get to Tor'sk's headquarters?" Carth asked.

Atton shrugged, "that's where the information is kind of sketchy, but he did say something about a little hole in the wall where all Torsk's thugs hang out..."

_"You're not gonna get me, fishy!" - Whispering Locker on Mannan_

"I can't believe we're doing this," Carth hissed to Atton as they entered the hovel that passed as a cantina.

"This is- or was- my world, Admiral," Atton replied in a low voice. "Try not to look too uncomfortable."

Carth closed his eyes to the green twi'lek dancing girl in the corner who was batting her eyelashes at him and followed Atton to the bar. Atton pulled up a stool and climbed onto it, looking right at home in the scruffy surroundings. He heldup a finger for the bartender, "membrosia."The bartender poured him a tiny glassfull of the beverage and Atton took it and sipped a little.

Carth held up his finger, too. "Black Ale," he ordered.

Atton raised his eyebrows, "You drink Black Ale? That's Mandalore's favorite."

"You think I don't live, or something?" Carth grunted over his glass, "when you practically live with Canderous for several years, you start trying mandalorian drinks. They've got a slightly different... kick... than the other drinks out there." His lips curled upwards mischievously, "anyway, you were the one saying we needed to keep our heads clear while we were looking for these rodians."

Atton set his glass down, "that's why I'm only having a little."

Carth eyed him, but said no more and instead finished off his Black Ale. All the while, the two were looking about for any characters that looked like they might be in Tor'sk's employ. Atton sipped his drink in complete comfort and chatted easily with the bartender.

Atton raised his glass and started to ask for a refill, but Carth stopped him, "Atton! Keep your head clear, remember?"

Atton sighed, "okay, okay, fine. But I'm not seeing any suspicious characters."

A crash startled the two men and they jumped off of their barstools, blasters ready. A female Weequay and five male Duros' entered the cantina, leaving a shattered doorframe behind them. The owner of the bar bowed his head and silently shook his fist at the group, but he did not dare raise his voice to them. The Weequay sauntered up to the bar, sat down next to Atton and ordered a drink that Atton had never heard of. Atton slid back onto the barstool and-as casually as he could- picked up his empty glass and looked straight ahead. Carth finished off his drink, but didn't sit down again.

"You're not from around here, fresh blood. Any chance you're an off worlder?" The Weequay woman asked without looking at Atton.

"Maybe," Atton replied, shrugging. "What's it to you?"

"Well, the boss is always looking for new talent, and off-worlders are often the most talented people he can get. The blood from around here is worth practically nothing." The Weequay replied.

"Tell me about it," Attom muttered under his breath. Then he looked at the Weequay girl, "you're obviously not from this world, then."

The girl blinked, then said, "flattery will get you nowhere." She took another swig of her bubbling black drink. "Are you looking for work?"

"I'll do work," Atton replied slowly, "if it pays good."

"The pay is good if you are strong, and good with a blaster," she looked him up and down.

"Who is your boss?" Atton asked her. If he was the man Atton thought he was, they were in luck.

"He's known as Tor'sk by the locals. Of course, that's not his real name, but crime lords don't usually just give out their real names," she paused for a moment, then continued, "I'm called Vil by everyone, and I'm Tor'sk's top assassin." She leaned forward and whispered into his ear, "refuse me, and you might not wake up some morning. Are you game for some work?"

"I'm game," Atton replied, "but I don't work solo. This man beside me is.." Atton's mind raced. He couldn't use Carth's real name. Especially not when Carth was glaring at him like that. "is Anden, and he's my Melee man. If you want me, you get him, too."

Vil's eyes narrowed, but she looked pleased with what she saw when her eyes swept over Carth, "all right. Of course, once you get into Tor'sk's headquarters, you won't be able to leave for a while. We've got to check your story and background. You understand." She set her glass down and stood up, motioning to the Duros' males. "Come on, let's go."

As they were swept out the door, Atton looked back at Carth and grimaced. What would happen when Tor'sk asked them for their identification?


	5. Tor'sk

_Oh yeah! I'm on a roll! I've been writing furiously, and the result has been two chapters in a couple of days. I would write more, but I'm using a laptop that I don't always have with me, 'cause it's not mine. I can't wait to get home from this vacation I'm on and have my computer back. Happy Reading!  
_

_ Layana_

* * *

Chapter Five

Tor'sk

Vil led the way to a flashy black speeder, which totally contrasted the gray of the buildings. She motioned for Carth and Atton to get in the front seat and then she slid in also. Her five Duros bodyguards piled in the back. The two men stole quick glances at each other. There was no getting out of this one. Atton worried as the speeder glided over the potholes in the street as easily as if the street was made out of spun glass. He kept his mask, of course. Years of training against mind-readers aided him, as did his Jedi training. One of the things that was the hardest to mask was his irritation at the smug little smile that was creeping across Carth's face. It took just about all of hi concentration to hide his growing curiosity.

As the speeder glided along the streets, the scenery changed. The hovels with thatched roofs became towering, glittering skyscrapers with flashy outsides that reflected the sun. Atton's eyes were soon watery from the nearly blinding light. Vil seemed unaffected, and the Duros men quickly pulled dark goggles over their eyes when the light became too much for them. Vil turned the speeder down a darker alley where the traffic was less thick. In fact, there were no speeders down the alleyway and only a few rough-looking characters walking down it.

At the tallest skyscraper, Vil stopped the speeder and stepped out, motioning Carth and Atton to follow her. The Duros men automatically got out and grabbed the two men, slipping blindfolds over their eyes. Then they carefully guided them through the street and down some stairs. They heard some whooshing of doors and some scuffling feet, but mostly, it was as silent as a tomb. When at last their blindfolds were removed, they looked around and saw that they were in a room, simply furnished with two beds and a footlocker at the foot of each one. There was a computer console also and one chair that looked like it had seen better days.

Vil tossed their blasters on the chair along with Carth's two vibroswords. "This will be your room until Tor'sk decides to give you an audience. It shouldn't take long, he likes the scum I bring him.. most of the time. Make yourselves at home. This room is for your personal use, and the slave quarters are just down the hall. There are other 'guests', so please don't disturb them. Of course, should you leave the guest area, there are plenty of wardroids to take care of you. Come," she motioned to her bodyguards and they followed her without a sound. The door slammed shut, and the two men were left alone.

"Okay," Atton said as soon as he was sure they were alone, "I've got one question, how are we going to show them our identities without them freaking out and shooting us on the spot?"

"So that's what you were so worried about," Carth said calmly. "I was wondering what it was."

"You could tell that I was worried?"

"Hey, I've got the galaxy's greatest Jedi for a girlfriend," Carth replied, "I'm pretty good at perceiving."

"So how are we going to solve this?" Atton asked.

"Well, it just so happens that I've got a couple of blank datapads on hand, the cardish kind people use for identification, and I left my I.D. back in the ship," Carth said. "It's easy enough to make ourselves some fake I.D. The only problem is the security cams..."

Atton's grin had been growing broader and broader throughout Carth's speech, and the ends of his mouth were close to meeting in the back of his head. "Force, if you have blank datapads, I can deceive the cams long enough for you to create us some I.D."

"Good, then let's get to work," Carth said, sinking into the chair and taking out a datapad.

_"So Malak was the original meatbag? I like that." - Revan to HK-47_

It didn't take Carth long to finish both I.D.s. Atton finally let down his concentration with a little sigh. "I wonder when that weequay chick is gonna summon us," he said, standing up and stretching.

"Speak of the devil," Carth replied, jerking his head toward the door.

"Oh, hey there," Atton greeted Vil, turning awkwardly on his heel.

"Tor'sk will see you now, and he hopes that you were both very comfortable," Vil told them.

Carth and Atton looked at each other. Aside from Atton's minor headache and Carth's burning eyes, they were perfectly fine. They smiled, nodded, grabbed their weapons and let Vil and her bodyguards lead them away.

"When we get to that room, I do the talking. You look around for some sort of computer that might hold the info we need," Carth hissed to Atton.

"Agreed," Atton whispered back.

Vil led them through a base that looked like a gauntlet. There were guards at every corner and doorway, and security droids patrolled the corridors. There were turrets here and there, and alarm systems standing ready to let out an ear-piercing ring. Atton leaned over to whisper to Carth again, "this place is a fortress!"

"It's just like the time Aren, Canderous and I rampaged across Davik's base on Taris," Carth told him. "Right down to the slave quarters being down the hall from our quarters."

"Hmmm," was all Atton had to say about that.

Vil tapped on the keypad next to a towering silver door. With a chime and a flash of a green light, the door whooshed open and Carth and Atton were ushered inside. A tall Zabrak greeted them.

"Good day, gentlemen," he said. "I am Tor'sk, your humble servant, and hopefully soon your new employer. You are interested in work I presume?"

"We are," Carth spoke up. "And I assure you, you will be satisfied at our.. talent.

"I'm sure," Tor'sk replied calmly. "And now, if I can see some I.D.? I need to check your stories."

"Yes sir, here they are," Carth handed them the datapads.

"Thank you," Tor'sk took the datapads and stepped up to a computer console that Atton's brown eyes had been fixed on the whole time. He entered the information on both datapads into the computer and his face changed from expressionless to puzzlement, to expressionless again. He turned back to Carth and Atton, "I'm afraid that I can't find any information on you."

"That's because we're offworlders," Carth said, his hand dropping toward his side where his concealed blaster pistol hung. "Check the starport's logs."

Atton whipped out his lightsaber, which had been hidden in his ribbed jacket the moment Tor'sk's back was turned and everyone froze. Atton didn't have to tell them not to speak, not one of them would have dared to utter a single word. Carth took his blaster pistol and stepped up to Tor'sk. He pressed the pistol right in between Tor'sk's shoulder-blades. "Don't move, mister. My friend has got everyone covered. All I want is a look at the databanks of that computer."

"Oh, it is, is it?" Tor'sk's voice was low and menacing, like the growl of a cornered animal.

"It is, and if you will back up slowly against the wall, I will let you live," Carth told him firmly.

Without warning, Tor'sk whipped around and threw Carth to the floor. The Admiral had dealt with crime lords before, but most of the time, they just hid behind their bodyguard and made empty threats. Tor'sk was totally different. He had the strength and agility to _be _the bodyguard. Carth rolled across the floor to avoid his powerful strikes and finally got far enough away to stand up.

The two circled for a moment, each one unsure of what to do next. Carth knew that Tor'sk had an advantage in size and strength. Carth's blaster had been knocked out of his hand, so he was weaponless. Carth wasn't in his prime anymore, either, and he knew it. Even though he was still tough at forty-six, he couldn't match Tor'sk's superior strength.

Tor'sk was also at a disadvantage, however. The position that Carth was in meant that he would have to get past a very cross Atton with a lightsaber to get at him. Of course, Atton couldn't leave the people he was holding back to come after Tor'sk, but he could definitely hold off any attack that Tor'sk could attempt.

"So," Tor'sk finally growled after a few minutes of staring had passed, "how's this going to benefit you? Even if you get past me, you'll still have to deal with all of those people, not to mention all the security droids and guards I have around this place."

"What I choose to do is my own business," Carth replied calmly. "But you too, are in an uncomfortable spot."

"I?" Tor'sk seemed a bit disturbed by the very idea. "And how could I be in trouble?"

"We've got friends. Powerful ones. Including _the _Mandalore, a very big wookie, and five Jedi. You kill us, and they're bound to come looking," Carth said smugly.

"Bah! Let them come, I have plenty of toys for all of them," the big Zabrak snarled. He lunged at Carth, blinded by fury and humiliation at the very though that something like this would happen. His powerful legs lifted him in a leap that sent him flying towards Carth at a fast speed. So fast, in fact, that he didn't even notice Atton's lightsaber sticking out...

Just in time to decapitate him.

Return to Top


	6. Escape

Chapter Six

Escape

"Thanks, Atton," Carth said, pushing himself up from the hard floor.

"Hey, no problem," Atton replied, watching his lightsaber glow. "Go get the info we need and let's get out of here!"

"Yeah." Carth brushed himself off and, stepping around a very dead Tor'sk, he made his way over to the computer console. As he approached the console, the lights flickered on. Of course, it asked for identification to the higher levels of it's programming. Fortunately, the only identification required was a fingerprint from Tor'sk, which was not as hard to acquire as a voice print. Carth dragged the dead body over and gingerly touched it's finger to the pad. Authorization was immediately accepted.

"Well, where are they?" Atton called, "if we stick around much longer, I have a feeling somebody's going to try to be a hero." He gestured meaningfully toward the irritated aliens he held back with his lightsaber.

Carth jerked his datapad out of the slot and waved it with a smug smile on his face, "got it. Let's get out of here."

Atton backed away from the aliens, slowly. None of them had any weapons, but they could decide to jump him. Not that it would work, of course, with his Jedi reflexes and all, and Carth standing not five meters away with two vibroswords strapped to his belt. Still, better safe than sorry.

Atton and Carth made their way toward the door slowly and carefully."One last thing, Carth," Atton said. He threw his lightsaber with the force like Adaliah had taught him. The humming blade slashed right into the alarm and came singing back to his hand. "Perfect."

Vil glared at him.

Atton shrugged back.

The door slammed in front of him.

"What's the quickest way to the entrance?" Atton asked Carth as they ran through the corridor, leaving behind the banging sounds being made by Vil and the others on the impregnable door.

"Why don't you ask the guard?" Carth replied, skittering to a stop in front of a rodian guard brandishing a Mandalorian disintegrator in their direction. These powerful weapons could vaporize them within a few shots. Carth had learned to stay away from them. Especially since they cut right through the energy shields he was always equipped with.

Atton, personally, had always liked the Mandalorian disintegrator, when it was in his hand.xStill, hhe knew he could easily deflect any shots the Rodian decided to make with his lightsaber. He activated the soft blue blade, allowing the rodian to listen to it's intimidating thrum. He smiled.

"You're going down."

The rodian immediately commenced to blasting with everything he had. The hissing pieces of laser fried the air they passed and sizzled into the wall of the corridor behind Atton and Carth, blackening it. Carth rolled out of the way of the shots on his shoulder, pulling out a sonic blaster, a simple weapon, but useful to have around. He fired back at the rodian.

Atton dodged the blasts as well, but he also managed to deflect several. The laser points went flying back toward the rodian, who dove face first into the hard floor to avoid his own shots. He picked himself up, recovering almost instantly. Atton, however, had the survival skills of both a Jedi and a scoundrel. His recovery _was_ instantaneous. He leapt toward the rodian before he even had the chance to fire another shot. A quick slice ensured the rodain's journey to the force.

Carth put away his small sonic blaster. "Nice work, scoundrel."

"It's not over yet," Atton replied, looking down the corridor at two advancing battle droids,who were looking none too happy, if indeed a droid could look unhappy.

Carth quickly sized up the droid's weapons. They were simple blaster rifles, nothing special, but with their targeting systems, Tor'sk had probably figured that the droids could handle any simple intruder. Atton and Carth, however, were no simple intruders.

Carth ducked one of the droid's almost perfectly aimed shots and fired his blaster. The shots buried themselves into the droid's metal chest. The droid terminated with an explosion, sending Carth flying. Atton meanwhile, made quick work of his droid with a flick of his wrist, first mutilating the droid, then slicing him in half.

Carth picked himself up, "let's hurry. I'll bet Calo's found a lead by now."

Three hours later, Carth and Atton exited Tor'sk's headquarters, looking about nonchalantly. They made their way back to the borrowed speeder and quietly turned it on, heading for another part of the town. No one would have ever guessed that they had just wrecked a crime lord's palace.


	7. Showdown

Chapter Seven

Showdown

The scenery slowly changed as Carth and Atton sped along deserted streets, following the map Carth had downloaded from Tor'sk's hideout. The map was detailed, even labeling the side of town they were heading to "wretched pit", but nothing could have prepared them for the terrible poverty around them. They knew that that that there was planet wide poverty here, but even the outcasts in the undercity of Taris had lived better than this.

Raggedy children with clothes that could barely cover them, ran behind the speeder for as long as they could without exhausting themselves. Atton was surprised to see how much endurance a pile of skin and bones could have. Women peeked out of their shacks, their hungry eyes following the beautiful speeder while their tiny babies wailed in their arms. A moaning man, covered with filth and disease, huddled in the "doorway" of a dilapidated house. His sightless eyes turned toward the sound of the speeder, and a gnarled hand stretched out for credits. His parched and swollen lips mumbled words nobody could understand. Carth closed his eyes, but tossed a few credits to the man.

"Hope we don't need those later," Atton remarked as the speeder rushed past.

"Aren always tried to relieve the suffering of the individual," Carth told him. "And I was one of those individuals. It's the least I can do."

"Adaliah, she always thought that too," Atton replied, watching two huge rats fight over a piece of moldy bread. "I never quite caught on."

At last they pulled away from the worst of it and came upon a dirty Inn by the name of the _Bithan Eye_. The innkeeper was a nervous fellow, his nervousness heightened by the fact that Carth carried two vibroswords and a blaster, while Atton had his own pistol, and of course, his lightsaber.

"A J-jedi? Here? What do you w-want w-with us, M-master Jedi?" He stammered, looking down at Atton's lightsaber.

"Look, we're not here to hurt you," Atton said, trying to calm the agitated innkeeper. "We're just looking for a couple of Rodians."

"And maybe a little squirt," Carth added on.

"R-rodians? You mean that ugly p-pair?" The innkeeper asked haltingly. "I-I knew there was s-something fishy-y about them."

"Just tell us where they are," Atton said in the most soothing voice he could muster.

"They-they're upstairs in room for-forty one. And that little r-runt you wanted is up there too. I-if he goes by the name of C-calo Nord."

Carth took off for the creaky stairs as fast as his legs would carry him, and Atton barely thanked the innkeeper before running off himself. The stairs groaned underneath their feet, as if they had just enough strength left to hold them up. The hand railing looked so splintery that the two men dared not hold onto it for balance.

Suddenly, a loud bang shook the unstable Inn from top to bottom. Dust flew from all cracks and into Carth and Atton's eyes. The staircase shivered and the panel Atton was standing on broke. Sensing it crack under his feet, he jumped just as it gave way. Carth was thrown against the hand railing, which cried out under his weight and threatened to give way. Carth jumped away from it and kept running up the stairs as the protests of the guests rose from all floors. Atton dodged a falling brick and followed, but not closely enough. Carth had disappeared already. Atton raced up the stairs two at a time to catch up, but he had to halt at a sudden break in the stairs. Apparently, the explosion had been too much for the little old Inn, for three stairs and the railing was gone. It would be a problem for the guests, and the innkeeper, but it was no trouble for Attom, who leaped lightly over the gap and headed on up the stairs.

When he reached the end of the flight of stairs, he could hear shouting voices, one of which was Carth's. He arrived at the scene to see Carth and Calo Nord standing toe to toe with two rodian bodies lying in the room behind them.

"You slimy pig," Carth was saying."Do you know how much money it'll cost to have this inn repaired?"

"I only used a sonic grenade," Calo sniffed disdainfully. "Be grateful it wasn't plasma or frag."

"I don't think even you are dumb enough to explode plasma or frag grenades in such an old building as this. The place would go up like Taris," Carth spat out at him.

"What do you want, Carth?" Calo snapped. "Since I have killed the rodians, there's really nothing more for you to do, is there? You should go home and take a nap, rest your old, tired bones."

"What do you want with that slave girl, anyway, Calo?" Carth asked, his fingers tightening on the hilt of his sword.

"If you haven't noticed," Calo retorted with a sharp edge to his voice. "She's really quite beautiful in addition to being a fantastic dancer. She'll fetch a high price among the crime lords on the outer rim. Anyway, she'll be better off without her clumsy brother, here." He cast a provocative glance at Atton, whose cheeks flushed with anger.

"You'll be lucky if you ever get to sell _anyone _again," Atton said icily. "Because I intend to kill you for that remark."

"Foolish boy," Calo snapped, drawing his pistols. "Now you'll know why I'm the most feared bounty hunter in the galaxy."

Atton lunged at Calo-'saber blazing- before Carth could say anything. Not that Carth would have said anything anyway. He himself wanted to get his hands around the runt's neck. Carth drew his own melee swords and dove into the fight without a second thought.

Calo was an expert shot with his pistols, and managed to hold the two attacking warriors off for several minutes with a few, well placed shots. One eye squeezed shut as he aimed, and popped open as he fired with a wide grin. Carth couldn't deflect the shots as Atton could with his lightsaber, so he mostly dodged while trying to advance on Calo. Atton, on the other hand, plunged forward recklessly, swinging his lightsaber around him. While he didn't hit Calo at first, he came close to loping Carth's head right off of his shoulders, reminding Carth of battles with Aren, who had always been careless while fighting.

At last Atton got in close enough to hit Calo, but the bounty hunter was still quick, and he saw the weakness in Atton's berserk attitude. Calo continued to allow him to swing the 'saber around, fur it also kept Carth off of him, who was afraid of being hit by Atton's flashing blade.

Calo expertly dodged the lightsaber swings, smoothly drawing his short sword which he kept ready to defend himself with if his enemy got too close. Atton advanced, ignoring the blade, and the small blaster pistol Calo still held in his hand.

Calo dropped defenses for a moment, allowing Atton to move in, which he did. Calo smiled how predictable the Jedi was. This was almost too easy. As soon as Atton raised his own lightsaber to strike, Calo counterattacked by blocking with his short sword, and firing a blaster bolt right into Atton's raised arm.

Atton gasped at the sharp feeling of the fiery laser bursting through his arm. The shock traveled up to his shoulder, and down to his fingers, numbing them. His lightsaber dropped from his hand, rolling across the floor with a musical sound. Blood seeped out of the wound which he clutched tightly with his uninjured hand. He heard the click of a blaster getting ready to be fired and looked up into the metal face of a blaster aimed right between his eyes.

"This is for Taliana," Calo Nord hissed, his face twisted into an evil-looking smile.

"And this is for Aren!"

Carth thrust his own blaster right into Calo Nord's head and fired. With one last dying yell, Calo sunk to the ground, eyes vacant.

Atton collapsed on the floor, trembling and cradling his arm. Carth offered him a hand, which he took gratefully. He checked his wound.

"Nothing Mission can't fix," Carth said cheerfully. "She's developed quite a knack for healing."

"Yeah. In the meantime, I'll just use a good old medpac... ow!" Atton grunted as he inserted the needle into his skin. Medpacs, he felt, were more reliable than the Jedi healing trance, at least when he attempted to do it. Adaliah was good at it. Atton was not.

Carth handed Atton his lightsaber, "hey, don;t want to lose this."

"Thanks," Atton said gruffly. He walked over to where the two dead rodians lay, knelt down and-with great difficulty- unfastened their belts.

"I think it's time we bring the good news to Taliana."


	8. Freedom

Chapter Eight

Freedom

Atton's mind was filled with memories as he and Carth sped back toward the "rich" side of town (which was really hardly better than the "poor" side). Memories of Taliana and himself playing in the tall grasses of their homeworld, Eres III. He remembered the terrible battle in which the Mandalorians set fire to the plains, fires that had killed his parents and caused Taliana and himself to flee, fires that still burned. He passed a hand quickly over his brown eyes. As much as he had wanted to return to Eres III, he could not, nor could he now. There was no life on Eres III anymore. Nothing but slowly dying fires.

Atton shook himself. It would not do for his eyes to be red-rimmed when he told Taliana that she was free. She would likely be so worried that she'd totally forget about herself. Atton chuckled, that was the sister he knew. _Pretty, sweet, and- _Atton sighed- _always so darn perfect! _As a child, Atton had always been getting himself into scrapes, and while Taliana often schemed with him, she never seemed to get caught.

_"Come on, Tali, let's do it," seven-year-old Atton pleaded. "We won't get in trouble, anyway, not much. And if we do, I promise to take your whippin' for you."_

_"Why would you do that?" five-year-old Taliana shot back, her freckled snub of a nose turned up into the air. "You 'most never do that when you promise."_

_"You never even get caught, you little brat," Atton hissed through his teeth. "Please? It'll be fun."_

_Taliana, who was the all time "good girl" glanced skeptically at her brother. For the past five minutes she had been listening to him beg her to help him play a "little" trick on her father and mother, who were visiting friends just over the next prairie swell. Atton loved to play tricks and knew a great deal, though most of them had gotten rather old. His plan today was the age old trick of getting his mother and father to think that Taliana was lost. He just knew he could do it, he said. All he had to do was make his lip quiver and his eyes water and his parents would believe him straightaway._

_"I'll mention that you might have fallen into the well, and I'll leave the cover off of it for good measure."_

_"They'll never fall for it."_

_"Come_ on_, Tali! It's just a bit of fun!"_

And so they would argue until Atton gave up in frustration or Taliana give in at last. Atton remembered a few well-played tricks, and they all involved Taliana. She was actually very good at play-acting, once she set her mind to it.

Carth glanced sideways at his companion. Atton's lips quirked a little every so often, as if in pleasant memories. Carth's thoughts, on the other hand, weren't so beautiful. In fact, he was beginning to be a little.. upset. At what he couldn't place, but he knew it had something to do with Taliana. He had come with the group to find Revan, not to chase after bounties. Still, he reasoned, if helping Taliana Rand was the key to finding the Exile, who would, in turn, help find Aren, chasing down Rodians wasn't such a waste of time, either. Besides, the planet was free of one more crime lord, and Calo Nord was dead, really dead, now. Even if they still hadn't the faintest clue how he had escaped Aren's fury on Kashyyyk.

Still, he thought it was a little unfair. After all, Atton was upset because he hadn't seen the Exile in-what?- three months? Carth hadn't seen Aren for seven years. He knew he had no one but himself to blame for that, though. _I should have gone to search so long ago.. _He thought. _But she told me to wait for her, to look after the Republic. And I've waited. I've waited for so long. I'm through following orders, Aren._

He really had no idea what kind of reception he would get when he at last found Aren. Would she be happy? Triumphant? Would she smile and say, "I was getting ready to come back to you." Would she be defeated? Would they need to break her out of some stinking prison?

What if they never found her at all?

Carth shoved that thought out of his mind. Aren could very well be dead, but he didn't want to think about it. He would just continue pushing forward. Onward. He wouldn't stop a minute to think because then he might admit to himself-just for a minute-that Aren could be lost forever.

A jab to his ribs made Carth start. "Hey, you passed it, wise guy!" Atton said, looking as if he was ready to jump out of the speeder and head back on foot.

"Sorry." Carth turned the speeder in a neat, clean turn, heading back toward the cantina.

The moment the speeder halted, Atton vaulted out and raced for the entrance. He shoved aside patrons and squeezed past waitresses. Carth called out to him to wait, but Atton couldn't hear him for the ringing of bells in his mind. Carth was a little more polite to the patrons, adding an "excuse me" under his breath as he pushed past.

When he at last found Atton, he was talking to the cantina owner, who was again filling in for the ever absent bartender. The bartender was looking at Atton as if he didn't believe a word the poor scoundrel was saying. Carth hurried forward with the belts Atton had so easily overlooked in his haste. The bartender listened as he explained his relationship to Atton and that they together had acquired the belts of the two shifty rodians.

"I heard there was some fuss at a hotel. A man was killed there, too. Small of stature, nice remains. I hear the innkeeper can buy himself a whole new place if he'll sell those guns." The cantina owner glanced at them skeptically.

"If we have the belts, does it matter how we came by them?" Atton asked deviously.

"Well, I suppose not," the innkeeper replied, sighing deeply. "You didn't take anything from them, did you?"

"No."

"Well then, the contents should prove useful," the innkeeper replied. "Oh, and you may have your girl, now. She's in the back room with Uduundin. Here, you'll need this." He tossed a scrap of paper at them. Atton caught it and started running for the back room with a quick "thank you." Carth followed him without a word.

Uduundin was standing as Atton had seen him last. Chest puffed out, dark eyes prideful, one hand on his shiny lekku. His eyes narrowed as he saw Atton enter, and he turned to make sure Taliana was still focused. She was, but a smile crept over her lips as if to say, _I'm free. I know I'm free!_

Uduundin looked at Atton with a sigh, "what do you want now? The girl has only just settled down enough to concentrate on her dancing! She claims you are her brother." He glanced at Atton dubiously, shaking his head softly. "So anyway, what is it that you want? Come, come, I don't have all day."

"I am her brother," Atton replied slowly. "And I've just bought her from the cantina owner!"

"What? You dealt with the bounties?"

"Yes, I dealt with the bounties, now set her free before I decide to pull off your lekku and whip you with them," Atton growled, forgetting all his lessons in compassion.

"Of course," Uduundin said smoothly, "you wouldn't just leave me here with out a little- a little something. Would you? She does make most of my living for me."

Carth sighed, exasperated. He tossed a bag of gold credits to the haughty twi'lek. "Now give us the girl."

"Of course, sirs," Uduundin whistled and Taliana immediately jumped down. "Here, girl. You're free to go with your so-called 'brother'. Get your things from your room, I don't want to have to deal with them."

"Of course I will." Taliana said. Then, surprisingly, she kissed Uduundin's cheek. "Thank you for everything, Uduundin. If you hadn't come along, I don't know where I'd be now." She grabbed Atton's fingers and pulled him off toward the north corner of the Cantina. Carth tapped Atton on the shoulder.

"Hey, I'll wait for you two in the speeder." Carth just couldn't explain the awkwardness he was feeling. He'd never been very good at explaining things. Fortunately, Atton didn't seem to notice. Instead, he nodded and followed Taliana

"_You know the problem with the youth nowadays? They are YOUNG!"-- Jolee Bindo_

Taliana's room was anything but clean and comfortable. It wasn't even her own, it appeared. Four beds were crammed into the tiny room, a bundle of things set at the foot of each bed. Atton looked around in disgust. _This_ was what Taliana had been living in since the destruction of Eres III. Even the sparse quarters on the _Ebon Hawk_ were better than this.

Taliana didn't seem to notice. She wouldn't, for she had been living in the same room for... who knows how long? Even she herself had forgotten to count the days. The stars were so different here than on Eres III, so she could not go by them. Instead, she dove into dancing and the lives of the three other girls who roomed with her.

Taliana stuffed the cleanest pair of normal clothes she had into a sorry looking bag. She grabbed a soft brown clock from the wall, tying it's strings around her throat. She picked up her bag again and looked again at Atton. He started and looked down at her skeptically.

"You're not going out in those things are you?"

"Oh Atton, it'll be okay. I'll change when I get to-" Taliana stopped, a slightly puzzled expression on her face. "Where _are _we going, Atton?"

"I've got a starship-well, actually it's a Republic starship- the _Longwing._ We're heading out of here to go find the girl I was asking about earlier. Her name is Adaliah," Atton told his sister with an unmistakable "big-brother" air.

Taliana's brown eyes looked through Atton's to his heart and her lips twitched. "I can see that you want to get move on as soon as possible. Shall we go?"


	9. Finding Someone

Chapter Nine

Finding Someone

"Atton! Carth, you're back!"

Mission dashed down the corridor in the _Longwing, _her ribbon-wrapped Lekku bouncing against her back. She caught Atton's arm, and her dark eyes smiled at Carth. "Canderous hasn't come out of his room this whole time, Bastila is being preachy again, and Bao-Dur has been just frantic to get underway!" She peered past Atton, trying to get a good look at Taliana. The dancing girl pushed the hood off of her head and smiled hesitantly at the young Twi'lek woman.

"Are you-" Mission's question broke off as she looked from Atton to Taliana, their soft brown hair and glowing brown eyes. The set of lips, and nose and eyes in their faces. The resemblance was uncanny. Mission's question answered it's self. Her lips opened in a wide grin and she covered her mouth in an attempt to keep a whoop inside of her.

"Mission? Is that you?" A pale, dark haired Jedi woman emerged from her corridors. "Do stop wailing like a sick wraid- oh!" Bastila halted in her tracks, her blue eyes resting on Taliana."It seems you have returned in triumph." She sailed over to the little group and took Taliana's hand. "I am Bastila, a Jedi who serves the Republic."

"I am just Taliana, dancing girl," Taliana said pleasantly. "I believe I have heard of you. The woman who used her battle meditation for Revan, are you not?"

Bastila's cheeks flushed. "Yes, I am. Oh, forgive me. I'm afraid I take too much pride in that affair."

"No need for that," Taliana replied. "Just don't let your Jedi teachers hear that."

Bastila laughed, but she did not have a chance to reply, for the rest of Carth and Atton's friends had gathered in the hallway. Mical smiled his angelic smile and greeted Taliana warmly. Mira gave a quick nod. Visas introduced herself and whispered a Miraluka proverb in her ear. And Canderous stood leaning against the wall, his arms crossed and his eyes fixed on the newcomer.

By the time everyone had said a little something, Taliana was laughing and feeling more and more accepted by the minute. At last, they all settled down. Atton was the first to bring them back to remembering their mission. "Has anyone found out anything about the Ishi Tib who may have taken Adaliah?"

"We inquired with the spacedock. It's a shabby place, but they were able to dig up a little information. For a fee, of course," Bao-Dur informed him. "But we do have a guess at their next destination."

"And where might that be?" Canderous asked.

"Another poor little planet not too far away," Bao-Dur replied. "They're probably just following their trade routes."

"Do we know what they deal in?" Bastila questioned.

"Slaves, mostly. That's probably what they wanted Adaliah for. She's valuable enough, with a heavy restraint collar around her neck," Canderous spoke up.

Atton let out a strangled noise and Mission's grip on his arm tightened. She shook her head slightly at Canderous.

"Well," she said brightly. "The planet is less than six hours from here at top speed, but I think this boy looks like he could use some rest."

Atton shook his head, "oh no, not while Adaliah is still out there, waiting. I can't rest just yet.."

"And you'll be too tired to meet her if you don't get some sleep," Mira put in. "Go to bed, Atton. We'll wake you when the time comes."

Atton looked from one face to the other. Some of his friends were smiling at him, some looked sympathetic, and Canderous simply looked rock hard. He shrugged. There was no arguing with this crowd. He looked back at his sister.

"Someone look out for her, okay?" He said with a tired smile. "And do a better job than I did during the Mandalorian wars." Taliana shook her head, but she was smiling. The door to Atton's room slid open, and he disappeared inside of it."

_"And don't kill yourselves before I give you the order to do so!"-- Mandalore_

"Atton! Atton, awaken!"

Atton-who had been having a dream about Kreia- felt himself being shaken awake. He thought he heard her voice and bolted upright in his bed, half expecting to see the old witch standing over him, her cold, wrinkled fingers wrapped around the hilt of her lightsaber. He let out a ragged sigh when he saw that it was only Visas. Her hand quickly went to his shoulder. "Shhh! It's all right!"

"What did you wake me for?" Atton asked, rubbing his eyes.

"Well, I thought you might like to know that we've sighted the little cruiser whose numbers match that of the one the Ishi Tib who stole Adaliah owned. They're running away from us, but it will not be difficult to catch them-"

"How soon can we use the tractor beam?" Atton asked, leaping out of bed and grabbing his ribbed leather jacket. He pulled it on over his bare chest. and buckled his belt around his waist.

"Soon," Visias replied. "Bao-Dur has sped up as fast as if safe and we're closing on them."

Atton nodded. "Thanks, by the way, for waking me up. Where is my lightsaber?"

"Here," Visas said, a silver hilt rising in front of her and floating on the air. Atton took it.

"Thank you," he said. "For everything."

"Don't," the Miraluka said. "I have only been her downfall."

Atton shook his head, but he didn't have time to argue with her, he could feel the ship pulling at something. The tractor beam had at last been successful! He dashed away toward the landing bay, where the Ishi Tib's ship would be arriving in a few moments.

Atton burst into the room. Canderous' dark eyes flicked over to glance at him. "Settle down, Atton. Your temper will only hurt."

But Atton could not be settled. His breath came in short little gasps, as if he was not getting enough air, and his pupils dilated dramatically. He clenched and unclenched his fists, wrapping the fingers of his right hand around his blaster and squeezing tight. How could he settle down when the only thing separating him from Adaliah was the wall of the Ishi Tib's little ship?

"Let's go," Canderous said, motioning his security guards forward. "Be on the lookout. These Ishi Tib are sneaky."

The little security force advanced up the ramp of the little alien ship, their blaster rifles drawn cautiously. Their eyes searched the small corridors, sticking their blasters into every little nook and cranny. Drops of sweat beaded along their upper lip lines. The ship was deathly still, which only added to their nervousness. They burst into the cockpit, their guns held ready.

The cockpit stood empty and silent, but for the faint beeping of the unattended controls. Atton's force senses tingled. There was someone moving in the cockpit! Atton rushed down the the helm and ripped open a secret compartment with the force. An Ishi Tib shoved a blaster pistol in his face, intending to end his life right then and there, but Atton's survival senses were too quick for him. The scoundrel's booted foot came up and kicked the blaster out from his fingers, sending it flying up into the air. Canderous and another Ishi Tib who had come out of hiding grasped for it, but the stronger Mandalorian prevailed. He punched the Ishi Tib to the ground and looked to Atton.

Meanwhile, Atton had his hands deep in the Ishi Tib's shirt. He rattled the insect-like alien with everything he had. "The girl you stunned in the Cantina! What have you done with her?"

"I not need tell you," The Ishi Tib hissed. "Girl mine now!"

"She'll _never_ be yours as long as I'm still alive!"

"We just have to do something about that problem, won't we?" The Ishi Tib replied, his evil eyes gleaming.

Atton heard the click of a blaster pistol behind his head. He had no time to turn around! All of a sudden, he heard a loud grunt and the _clank! _of a blaster hitting the floor. He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw Canderous straightening himself up and the alien groaning on the floor

"Where did you hide her?" Atton growled threateningly, his eyes pulsing with anger. He placed his unopened lightsaber right in the middle of the Ishi Tib's forehead, his finger covering the button to ignite. "Tell me, and I will not kill you."

The Ishi Tib's eyes grew wide and he stuttered unintelligibly. He could tell, by the way that Atton's brown eyes were burning, that this was no joke. Atton wasn't playing around anymore. The Ishi Tib gestured down the hallway. "In floor, in floor!" He screeched in sketchy basic. He collapsed on his chair, still shivering with fear. Atton, however, did not remain behind long enough to see this. He had already taken off down the corridor.

Atton listened to the sound of his boots pounding on the floor, hoping to hear the thunk of a hollow floorboard. Smugglers compartments were often built into the floor, and he was a smuggler, so he knew exactly what he was looking for.

At last, the heel of his boot hit a place in the floor that sounded... different. His fingers felt around the edge of the panel and his eyes strained from trying to see something that would release it. Tears slipped down his cheeks, and he fought them back. Why was he crying? If the Ishi Tib had been telling the truth-and Atton was sure he had- then in just a few minutes he would see the face he had so longed for.

The panel burst free and went flying down the narrow hallway. Atton stared at it in surprise for a moment. Surely he hadn't done that! He turned back to peer into the little smuggling compartment, when suddenly something knocked him to the ground.

Atton grunted and pushed at the thing, but it had a firm hold on his arms, pinning them back to the floor. It rolled him over and over, pulling him into the smuggling compartment with it. He felt something rush through his body. The force! What-or who- was this that had such a tight hold on him?

A pair of blue eyes.

A rosy complexion.

Pale blonde hair.

Tears spilling across the cheeks.

Atton opened his mouth to say something, but what it was no one will ever know. No sound did he ever utter, for all he could do was cry.


	10. Making Plans

Chapter Ten

Making Plans

"Don't cry, love."

Atton Rand felt a finger touch his lips softly, and slide away. A hand passed through his dark brown hair, ruffling it gently. Something warm touched his cheek. He saw something moving near his face. "Don't cry, Jaq." The image was blurred, but he recognized-he _knew- _the voice.

"Is-are you-" Atton stammered, failing to find the words he needed. "Are you an angel?"

The woman laughed, and Atton could feel her trembling with happiness. "Oh, Jaq.."

Atton drew himself up to sit against the wall, pulling her along with him. Her beautiful silver blue eyes stayed fixed on his chocolate brown ones. "Adaliah, are you-- for real? Adali, why did you leave me without any warning? I had no idea.."

"Hush now," Adaliah said, sitting back. "Can't you understand why? I love you, flyboy. I didn't want anything to happen to you. Not even you can protect me where I'm going. I could never let anything happen to you, without something happening to me, too. It's gone beyond love, darling. It's the force."

"We have a-- a force bond?" Atton looked a little unsure of himself. He had seen the side effects of Kreia's force bond with Adaliah.

Adaliah nodded. "The moment I realized I loved you," she said simply. "It was forged then." Her hands slid up Atton's jacket-covered chest and wrapped around his strong neck. "I couldn't stop thinking about you, though. The force bond won't let me pull away, but I don't want to anymore." She sighed, blinking slowly. "Hold me," she said, sinking into him.

And Atton did. One arm went around her waist, and the other dragged through her pale blonde hair. _Force, I don't know how I ever survived. You're the only thing that keeps me going. The only thing that's worth it. The only thing... _Atton held her tighter, pulling her firmly against his body. He closed his eyes and brushed her lips lightly. Nothing equaled this.

Adaliah pushed him away. "Oh no, not now. There must be others waiting. Mandalore? Visas? Bao-Dur? Mira? Mical? Are they here with you?"

"They're here. They met up with me just a little while back," Atton replied- not caring, for once, that she had mentioned Mical's name. After she was here in _his_ arms, not Mical's. "Carth Onasi is here, too. And Bastila Shan."

"They are?" Adaliah jumped up. "Where? Where are th-"

"Adaliah!"

Canderous, who had just finished taking care of the rest of the Ishi Tib with his security forces, caught sight of Adaliah and Atton. Adaliah untangled herself from Atton's arms, and jumped up.

"Mandalore!" She rushed to greet him, throwing her arms around him in her excitement.

The big Mandalorian staggered backward, but he rested one hand on her back awkwardly. "It is good to see you again, Lady."

"I have been missing your combat prowess, Mandalore," Adaliah said, letting him go with a wide grin. "It could have come in handy at the cantina."

"I was under the impression that it was your intent to be captured," Canderous said, his voice sounding slightly surprised.

"It was, and still is, my intent." Adaliah told him. "We have to find out who these people are working for. The force is guiding me to them-for a reason, I believe. They've been capturing highly force sensitive beings from all worlds beyond the outer rim. The age doesn't seem to matter. Infants, the elderly... All have been taken, it seems. Whoever their masters are, I think we need to find them. They may have Revan."

"Oh, so it's we now," Atton said, coming up behind her to lay a hand on her waist.

Adaliah smiled and rested her head on his shoulder. "Well, now that you've found me, I don't think I have the heart, or the ability, to send you away. I need you here."

Canderous coughed meaningfully. "Where was this ship headed before we stopped it? I assume you want it to remain on this present course."

"I do," Adaliah replied. "I want you to let the ship go, but follow at a distance. I will be able to communicate with you, through the Force. Atton will stay here and assist you with the Force bond we share."

Atton started and stared down at her. "No, I want to come with you. I'm not letting you go by yourself."

"Atton, I need you on the ship with the rest of them," Adaliah said. "You're the only one with a strong enough Force bond."

"But Adali-" here Atton halted. "Wait, the only one with a Force bond_ strong enough_?"

Adaliah nodded, looking a little shame-faced. "I didn't tell you earlier because I hardly notice this one at all anymore. I have a Force bond with Bao-Dur, as well as you. He served under me during the Mandalorian wars, and it was from him that I learned all I know about droids. I've always formed bonds too easily, my teachers said. It was a fairly strong bond. I could feel pain in my arm when he lost his, but I had no idea why.. Not until Kreia lost her hand did I realize I had shared a bond with my mechanic. That was a long time ago, though. I seem to have lost my touch."

"Do you think you could rekindle it?" Canderous asked. Atton cast him a sharp glare.

"It's possible.." Adaliah said uneasily. "But it could take a while. I don't know how many hours Bao-Dur and I spent in the garage, but I can tell you that they're more than I could count. He may still have a hold on the bond, since he didn't loose his connection to the Force, but I don't know. He's been awfully hard to talk to since the war. I'm afraid I might reopen old wounds."

"I thought you helped him come to peace with that," Canderous said, "when you trained him as a Jedi, remember?"

"I don't know.." Adaliah said, her voice sounding weighted. "It could be that I'm afraid _I_ won't be able to handle it."

"You do what you need to do," Canderous replied. "But it would be helpful if we have two people who could communicate with you."

"I'll stay the night in your cruiser and see if Bao-Dur is up to it," Adaliah consented.

"Thank you," Canderous said. He turned back to his security guards, who had all assembled behind him. "All right, boys, let's go back to the _Longwing. _Our work here is finished."

Atton watched Canderous go, and turned his gaze back on Adaliah. "Adaliah, I want to be with you. They can do this without me."

"No," Adaliah said, covering Atton's mouth with her hand. "No, they can't, love. You have to go with them, and I'll meet up with you soon, very soon."


	11. Greetings

Chapter Eleven

Greetings

Adaliah stepped off of the Ishi Tib's ship with Atton close behind her. She ducked to avoid the low door out to the landing bay. She straightened up, and the first thing her eyes met were the big blue eyes of the Disciple.

"Mical!" She halted in her tracks. Her surprise at seeing her student and friend was obvious. She had to admit, she had been expecting Atton and and Mandalore to follow her. Atton for her, and Mandalore.. Well, she had known all along that it was Revan that Mandalore was looking for. He had never told her much about Revan, other than that she was the only person in the Republic capable of defeating his people. Adaliah knew he respected her for that.

"Adaliah!" Mical exclaimed, his beautiful eyes shining. "I can't believe- I mean, I never thought... I'm glad this wasn't a wild iriaz chase."

"So am I, Mical," Adaliah said, her own crystal blue eyes smiling at the childlike pleasure on the Disciple's face. "I've been.. worried about you."

Mical's face took on a puzzled expression. "Why?" He wondered. "I've been worried about you, too, but that is justified-"

"Never mind," Adaliah cut him of gently. "We'll talk later, when I have more time."

"Of course, it will be my pleasure." He stepped away from her, revealing a little red-mane lioness.

"We found you," the bounty-huntress said, her piercing green eyes fixed on Adaliah. "It's been a while for not knowing what you were up to."

"I guess you're used to knowing what people are up to, Stalker," Adaliah said laughingly, reaching out to embrace her friend. Mira blinked and awkwardly closed her arms around Adaliah.

"Nice to see you too, Jedi," She said.

Adaliah turned to the blind Miraluka. "Visas, my friend, how are you?"

"As well as possible," the woman replied. "I've been having nightmares."

"Of what?"

"Nihilus," she replied. "They have been.. Obscuring my vision."

"It seems everyone has felt the effects of your absence," Atton whispered in the Exile's ear.

"No," she whispered back. "It's the darkness which is taking over the galaxy."

Atton looked confused, but he said no more, perhaps sensing that a deeper discussion was meant for safer quarters.

The rest of the group gathered in the landing bay stood a little ways away, looking rather uncomfortable. Mission had never seen the Exile before in her life, and neither had Zaalbar. Bastila and Carth knew the Exile, but not well enough to feel comfortable enough to approach her during the happy reunion.

Soon enough, however, Adaliah came around to greet them.

"Admiral Onasi?" She called in a soft, gentle, voice. She stood before him, offering her hand. "It is agreeable to see you again."

Carth accepted her hand and shook it warmly. "Same here, Exile. I trust you are well."

"I was quite lonely, and about to die of boredom before you stopped that ship," Adaliah said, laughing lightly. "I thank you for providing Atton with this ship."

"How did you-" Carth cut himself short. He had learned not to ask those sorts of questions with Revan-Aren, he corrected himself- around. She always answered him with a comment on how "we Jedi know things". From the bemused smile on the Exile's face, he could tell that she was about to echo Aren. "Never mind."

"Well, I obviously would never have had the funds for this without Carth's help," Atton offered graciously, something he did not do often. He felt.. different, somehow. Like, he wasn't jealous of Mical anymore. Yes, he decided. He felt _very _different.

Adaliah sensed that he was being genuine, for once, and she smiled. The man she depended on was growing up, he was no longer the rude, arrogant, and selfish little boy she had fallen in love with. She had loved his cocky, never-fail side, but she knew that she loved his new personality as well.

Adaliah greeted Bastila, who received her with the same cool calmness that never eluded her. She introduced herself to Mission, who was excited to meet her after learning that the Exile had once been a good friend of Aren's. Zaalbar's reaction was similar, but included a lot more growls and grunts.

Adaliah patted Zaalbar's big, furry shoulder one last time, and turned to look around the room. Her keen eyesight took in every person she had hoped to see. Everyone was there to greet her.. Except one.

"Where is Bao-Dur?"


	12. Meditation

Chapter Twelve

Meditation

Adaliah peered around the door frame of the garage, her eyes seeking the large, drafty room for her Iridonian friend. All she could hear was the buzzing, whirring and clicking of the droids in the room, but that was typical. Adaliah shook her head with a slight smile. Bao-Dur preferred to stay "in tune" with the droids, with only his humming arm making noise. She searched among the droids for the half-machine Zabrak, but she couldn't catch sight of his spiky head.

"Bao?" She called softly, her voice echoing off of the metal parts in the room. "Are you in here?"

Nothing but more buzzing answered her call. Adaliah sighed and reached out with the force to feel for Bao-Dur. There was nothing Force-sensitive in the room. Adaliah tapped her lip and her brow furrowed. "Where is he?"

She felt something calling her to the aboretum, but she thought that was strange. Bao-Dur wasn't exactly very interested in nature, as far as she knew. She doubted he'd have changed in three months, but-she reasoned-it was always possible. She headed down the corridor to the arboretum at a slow trot.

The door swished open, and Adaliah caught sight of a Iridonian head peeking out from the leaves of a thick tree. She smiled happily and approached him. The leaves swished gently as she parted them, and Bao-Dur turned quickly. His dark brown eyes glowed with pleasure and he reached out a hand in greetings.

"General! It's been so long. I don't know what to say... I didn't know we had found you," He said. "I guess I was a little too in tune with the Force."

"You can never be 'too' in tune, Bao," Adaliah said, accepting his hand and shaking it. "And I'm proud of you. For staying on the path, I mean."

"You shouldn't be, General," Bao-Dur said, shaking his head. "I try too hard at times, and in other times I don't try at all." He settled himself down on the grassy floor of the arboretum. "It's been a constant battle, especially since you left us. I tried to meditate with Mira, but she is just as bad as I am."

Adaliah laughed and plopped down beside him. "Well, you get points for effort, anyway."

Bao-Dur shook his head. "But it wasn't enough."

"Bao," Adaliah said, her serious face returning, "don't talk to yourself that way. You probably helped yourself and Mira more than you think you did," she told him sternly. "And anyway, I can sense the force bubbling in here," she tapped his chest. "You just need the faith to push it out."

"But I don't have the faith," Bao-Dur said glumly. "I haven't had enough since before the war, General."

"Well, maybe I can help with that," Adaliah said. She drew in a deep breath. "Do you remember how much time you spent trying to teach me about machines?"

Bao-Dur laughed silently. "I remember."

Adaliah grinned, "it was tiring wasn't it? But out of those long, tiring, boring-"

"Who are you calling boring?" Bao-Dur asked, his dark eyes flickering with mirth.

Adaliah suppressed a smile. "I mean, out of those hours that I treasure above all other hours of my life, was born something."

Bao-Dur looked suspicious for a moment. "What kind of 'something'?"

"A Force bond," Adaliah said. "I felt it first when you lost your arm, but I didn't know what it was at the time, and I could hardly remember it later when I lost my connection to the Force. When I felt something similar with Kreia, I knew that we had formed something similar. But when we found you-picked you up on Telos-I couldn't feel hardly anything anymore. It grew as we traveled together more, and at one point I was able to read your thoughts, even when Kreia couldn't." Adaliah paused to catch Bao-Dur reaction to this. He was smiling slightly, his lips a soft curve. Adaliah could sense his amusement and she was relieved. She didn't know what she would have done had he been angry. Now she could focus on her point instead. "But it's still not as..." She searched for the right word. "_Developed_ as it should be. I need you now, but our bond has to be strengthened."

"Why?" Bao-dur asked. "Why do you need the bond?"

"You sound almost protective!"

"I am. Of you."

Adaliah smiled. "That's sweet, but I'll be fine. I need you to do this for me. See, I'm going on with the Ishi Tib, and I need someone here whom I can feel through the Force. Someone who can feel me through the Force."

"Why not Atton?" Bao-Dur asked.

"Atton's connection with me is stronger, but if something happens to him-"

"Like what?"

"I don't know, but just in case, I need you here, too."

Bao-Dur consented with a nod. "I don't know how you're going to do this, but I trust you, General."

Adaliah felt her heart welling and her spirit lifting with gratitude. She had no idea why the Zabrak trusted her so much, but it was encouraging. She reached or his hands. "This could take a while, and I want to spend some time with Atton, but I'll do my best." She crossed her legs and closed her eyes. "Ready?"

"Ready."

_"They're pathetics. They're taking scrap when they should be taking worlds." -Canderous_

Seven hours of hard concentration passed. Adaliah frowned until the though there would be permanent creases in her forehead. She could feel Bao-Dur shudder at times, both through her hands and through the Force. She tried to still him, to calm him, but she could feel her own strength fading as she forced all her power to meet his, creating a channel between them. Perspiration poured down their faces, but not once did they break their hold, or their meditation. At last, Adaliah thought that their bond was once again powerful enough. She pulled her hands away with a gasp.

"I haven't done something that intense since I fought Traya on Malachor V," she said, her breathing still harsh.

"I haven't felt so close to the Force since you first introduced me to it," Bao-Dur said. "Thank you."

Adaliah nodded, wiping the dripping sweat from her forehead. "I thank you, too. It's been a long time since I've been able to meditate with someone for that long without them getting jittery."

"Really, General," Bao-Dur said, his voice serious. "I want to thank you for everything you've done for me. It doesn't seem that there's anything I can do to repay you."

"Oh, please, Bao," Adaliah said, waving her hand. "You've done more for my droids than I could ever even dream of doing."

"Your droids.." Bao-Dur said thoughtfully. "Where are they?"

Adaliah thought for a moment, then gasped. In all the hubbub, they had forgotten all about HK-47 and T3-M4. They were still stowed away on the Ishi Tib's ship!

"I think the Ishi Tib got a little tired of HK-47's assassin talk, and T3-M4's endless beeping," Adaliah said with a hint of laughter in her voice. "They shut them down and stowed them in the cargo hold, I believe. I'm sure," she continued, seeing Bao-Dur's disappointed look, "it wouldn't hurt to give them a little looking after."

"Of course not," Bao-Dur said, his peaceful expression restored. "If you don't mind?

He left the question hanging, but she knew what he was about to say."Of course not! Please, feel free to do with them whatever you wish."

"Thank you," Bao-Dur said once again, standing to make ready to leave. "I will.. see you later?"

"Please," She replied, rising to her feet.

They parted in the corridor, one heading to the Ishi Tib ship, one heading as far away from it as possible.


	13. This Night

Chapter 13

This Night

Atton Rand pushed his dark brown hair back and leaned into the comfortable lounge chair. The Longwing's galley was more luxurious than most Cantinas he had seen across the galaxy. It was the perfect place for him to wait for Adaliah. Clean, relaxing, and private enough for the middle of the night, he was sure that Adaliah would find him here. She knew him well enough, after all.  
Atton could remember when she had led him on the path to become a Jedi. His path had also included another woman, one whose name he didn't even know. He still felt funny when he thought about that woman, remembering the tingling inside his skull when she had read his mind, showed him things.  
It wasn't like that when Adaliah sensed his feelings. She never went beyond surface thoughts, because she knew how angry it made him. She had experienced his fury firsthand when she had tried to Force persuade him to tell her something. She had learned more than to stay away from Atton's mind that night, she had learned that some things were private and that some things were not her business.  
That's just about the only useful thing I've taught her so far, Atton thought, half bemusedly.  
Really, Atton tried not to concern himself with the past anymore. It was painful for him, and it was painful for her. He could feel her heartache whenever she talked about the worlds she had helped ravage. Her need to set things right between herself and the galaxy had been the only thing keeping her going. Atton had worried that she might fall apart once she had fixed everything, but it seemed that she had more passion than before. He didn't know exactly what fueled her now, but he hoped it was more than just her quest to find Revan. He hoped it had something to do with him, because his survival had something to do with her.  
In the past, women had been something to flirt with, to drink with, to dance with. Any pretty face attracted him, to say nothing of a dancer's body, but now he didn't need any of those things. He only needed those countless freckles spread across Adaliah's nose, her big silvery blue eyes and her long blonde hair.  
He had to admit, though, as much as he loved the Exile, he was scared of the woman. How could a woman with as much battle prowess as Adaliah not be terrifying? She had a temper and tendency to fly into things without asking for advice or help. She all too often assumed she was right, and paid dearly for it, or found out that she couldn't follow through on whatever it was anyway. She bet a lot on pazaak, and though she often won, there were many times when she had nearly lost the clothes on her back. Even Atton wasn't that crazy. Well, unless he was playing Nar Shaddaa rules.  
"Thinking too hard, Jaq?"  
Atton looked up into Adaliah's teasing eyes. He grinned, the furrow in his brow unraveling. "Naw, just pondering a few things." He patted his lap. "Sit," he commanded. "I'll order you something."  
"I prefer to order myself, thanks," She said, sitting down on his lap. "But that's sweet of you."  
Atton shook his head. Adaliah never let people order for her. "Stubborn girl." He stroked her hair, trying to loosen it from its tight braid.  
"Ow! Stop that!" Adaliah swatted him on her shoulder and reached back to release it for him. The plaits came out and her normally pin-straight hair waved down her back. Atton's fingers were soon tangled in it. He leaned forward to smell her hair.  
"You smell different."  
"I would." She retorted. "I've been on a backwater planet for over a week."  
"Did you have a refresher?"  
"Oh, please."  
"You didn't?"  
"Do you think the Ishi Tib let their slaves for the market go to their buyers all grimy? Noooo. They made me use the slave's refresher in their little ship and wash with some weird soap." Adaliah rolled her eyes. "Oh well. It felt like water."  
Atton laughed, hugging her closer. Funny smelling alien shampoo or no, she was his.  
"Hey Atton?" Adaliah turned her head to catch a glimpse of him. The scoundrel's fingers paused in her hair.  
"What?" He could detect the change in her mood through the Force as well as through her voice.  
"What did you think of Revan?"  
Atton wondered briefly what in the galaxy that had to do with anything, but he answered her presently. "Well, she was uh… charismatic. Very charismatic. She had a way of knowing secrets that no one else knew; sometimes she even knew things about you that you didn't know yourself. She read minds a lot, but she also trained people to resist mind probing," Atton said, his face showing admiration. "The downside was, she was often arrogant, unfeeling, and she didn't listen to anyone. Not even her own Generals. They warned her against many battles, but she chose to fight, just to tick them off. Only her great battle prowess pulled them through, but she often suffered heavy losses." Atton paused, "There was a rumor that she and her apprentice, Malak, were more than just Master and Student, but she get very angry whenever someone mentioned it."  
"Do you know anything of her that is…" Adaliah thought for a moment. "Post-Mandalorian war?"  
"Well, I remember when Malak attacked her," Atton said. "Fired on her own ship and nearly killed her. Her identity was lost… The Jedi council gave her a new one to start over with, but she rediscovered her true identity much later."  
"What was her reaction?"  
Atton shrugged. "I wasn't there, of course, but I've heard that she didn't give up on her new identity, but instead chose to remain Aren Jayde. She had found a new life, a better life, on the light side of the Force." Atton looked closely at the woman sitting on his lap. She must have heard all of this before. "Why so interested in Revan all of a sudden?"  
"I knew her before the war," Adaliah said, her voice a little more faint than before. "She was my mentor in the Enclave, other than Kavar and Vash. I always thought she was the strongest, greatest person I had ever met. I wanted to see how she had changed. I was no where near her during the Mandalorian wars, and I was… away after that."  
Atton blinked. He didn't exactly believe that this was the only reason, but he decided to let it be. Adaliah was obviously not at her best at the moment.  
"Atton." Adaliah said again.  
"What?"  
"I know you must have been very angry," Adaliah said, reaching for one of his hands. She tugged at his fingerless gloves, trying to pull them off. "I know you were hurt when- when I-" Adaliah broke off, and her blue eyes glittered with tears. Atton's arm tightened around her waist.  
"No," He said, "no, baby. It doesn't matter what I felt like. I'm here now, you're here now. Don't think about it. Don't cry."  
But it was too late. There was nothing he could say to stop the flow of tears. Months of worry, pain, and pent-up anger flowed onto Atton's ribbed leather jacket, soaking it with the flood. Atton could do nothing save hold her closer and rest his cheek against her quivering head. He felt an icy tear on his own cheek and he sighed, but did not move to wipe it away.  
At last her crying subsided, and Adaliah drew herself upright once again, wiping away the last of her tears with her sleeve. She attempted a slight smile with a shaky sigh. "It going to be harder to leave you tomorrow than I thought it would be," she admitted slowly, brushing the dark hair away from his forehead. "But I'll see you soon."  
"I can come with you," Atton said, pleading with his eyes.  
"Oh, no," Adaliah shook her head. "That won't work. You're the strongest one here, Atton. They'd fall apart without you."  
"But I fall apart without you!" Atton burst out, then dropped his eyes and let his head sink. He could feel Adaliah's eyes on him, and he could not shut them out. "I'm sorry, Adaliah, but three months…"  
"Atton Rand," Adaliah's words were rather stern, but her voice was gentle, "three months is nothing, not compared to the years that Carth has spent away from Revan. Have you thought of that? I'm sure Carth would love to tell you the same thing."  
"Well, still.." Atton's eyes wandered. "Still, I don't think it's fair."  
"Nothing is fair, Jaq," Adaliah reminded him tenderly. "Nothing in this whole galaxy has ever been worthy of being deemed fair. At least, nothing I know of. Life is not fair, death is not fair, even the Force is not always fair."  
"Tell me about it," Atton muttered. He was a Jedi, or at least he pretended to be one, but he had his suspicions about the Force. How could a scoundrel who had once killed Jedi not?  
"I have to find her, Jaq," Adaliah murmured softly. "She's everything to the galaxy, Jedi and Sith both."  
"Are you sure this is going to lead you to Revan, Adaliah? They don't seem to have any connection with Revan at all."  
"I don't know exactly where they were taking me," Adaliah said slowly. "But I can feel something in the Force when I am near them. I understand that they are very afraid of their masters, but it is a very primitive fear, as if they know little about them, but know that that little is to be feared to the highest extent. They don't know what they're doing, but they do it because they're afraid not to. There is something bigger than the normal here. Their masters are Force-users, I know it."  
"How you know I guess I'll never know," Atton said in admiration, "but I don't care. When this is over, Adaliah-"  
"When this is over, we'll have more time to talk," Adaliah said, casting him a glance that told him not to engage in wishful thinking. "But now I have no more time. See, it's nearly morning!" She pointed to the chronometer hanging on the wall. "I'll need sleep, love. It'll be good to sleep in a real bed tonight." She set her feet on the floor and stood up. "And besides," she laughed ruefully, running a hand through her hair, "a turn in a starship refresher wouldn't feel so bad right now."  
Atton knew it was useless to hold her. "Where are your quarters?" He asked. "I want to see you before you leave in the morning."  
"Don't worry," she said with a laugh, "Carth assigned me quarters near yours. Same hall, three doors down. I'll see you first thing, and that will be in…" She glanced once again at the chronometer on the wall. "In three hours. Force, if I want any sleep, I have to get it now!" She leaned forward for a quick kiss, and stepped back, brushing his lips with her fingers. "Get some sleep, Jaq. I'll awaken you if you are still asleep." She gently untangled herself from his arms and headed out the door, glancing back to give him one last "good night."


	14. Making Ready

Chapter Fourteen

Making Ready

Adaliah awoke to the torturous ringing of the alarm that she had set an hour and a half before. She groaned and lifted her weary head, her still-damp braid swinging as she pulled herself up. She felt groggy, but better than she had the night before. There were clean clothes in the closet, as there had been clean nightclothes. Her robe was still a wretchedly dirty thing, but she was grateful for the clean clothes, at least. She headed to the refresher room once again, dressed and splashed her face with water to wake herself up.

"Come now, child," she told herself. "You've stayed up all night before."

She slipped out of her room, noticing that there was very little activity in the halls so early in the morning. Much of the crew was asleep, and she saw no one she recognized. She passed one door, two, and halted at Atton's. She knocked softly, then harder, wondering if he had developed the habit of being a deep sleeper. Still, no one answered the door. It was unlocked, so she opened the door with a quiet _swish!_

"Jaq?" She called out softly. "I promised to wake you." She pulled aside the curtain that surrounded his bed. The bed was empty, the covers tucked over the sheets and pillows neatly. Adaliah was alarmed! She stepped out into the hall, looking backwards and forwards, side to side, trying to catch a glimpse of the scoundrel. She retraced her steps to and from her quarters and Atton's three times, until at last she spotted Admiral Onasi and that hall, emerging from his quarters.

"Thank the Force, Carth," she called out to him. He paused and turned back to look at her, a rather confused expression on his.

"Why, Exile!" He exclaimed. "You are supposed to be in the landing bay, or were as of-" he checked his chronometer "- five minutes ago. I was going there to see you off. What in the galaxy are you still doing here?"

"I can't find Atton," Adaliah told him, a worried expression on her face. "His bed is made and everything. I don't know where he can be."

"Atton?" Carth took a step toward her. "I haven't seen him this morning either. He must be already waiting for you in the landing bay."

"Maybe." Adaliah sounded doubtful. "But I did tell him I'd come by his quarters."

"Perhaps he wanted to get something for you," Carth suggested. "In any case, I'm sure he'll be waiting for you in the landing bay."

Adaliah said no more, but she could not convince herself that nothing unusual was going on. She was sure that Atton was up to something, or was in some sort of trouble. He was usually dependable, and if he wasn't, then he was trying to be and something was holding him back. She tried to forget it as she fell into step with Carth and headed toward the landing bay beside him.

Just before they reached the landing bay, Bao-Dur rounded the corner opposite them, looking rather flustered. He halted immediately when he saw Carth and Adaliah heading for the landing bay door. "Oh, General!" He exclaimed, "I was looking for you! Say goodbye. Just in case... Well, since I didn't get to say goodbye last time."

"This won't be the last time I see you, Bao-Dur," Adaliah said, reaching out to touch his sleeve. "I promise, I'll be coming back. We'll look for Revan together. You and me and Jaq and everyone else. Just like old times."

"Sure, General," Bao-Dur's response was glum, but he tried not to give it away. He wanted to say something more, but he decided against it. Adaliah caught the gleam in his eye, but she didn't know what it meant. She had to admit that she really didn't know the Zabrak as well as she would have liked. Someday, she told herself, someday she would listen to all of his joys and heartaches, just like a Jedi Master-and a very good friend- would do.

Bao-Dur followed her into the landing bay, where a small group was gathered to see her off. She knew all of her own friends: Mandalore, Visas, Mical, Mira, her two mechanical counterparts, and- where was Atton Rand? She started to see that he was not in the group, especially since all of Revan's shipmates were there to see her off. This was not like Atton one bit.

She didn't have time to think about it, however, for there was a young woman in the crowd who was pushing her way over to greet Adaliah. She looked somehow familiar, as if Adaliah had seen her before, but Adaliah did not know her.

"Excuse me, but I wanted to introduce myself," the pretty lady said softly. "My name is Taliana. I was in the crowd that greeted you last night, but I wanted to stay back. I didn't want to interfere with your reunion with your friends. My brother seemed to know you very well. Funny, he didn't mention you before." Adaliah caught a certain twinkle in her eye, and started.

"Your brother?" She asked. "You have a brother?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," Taliana smiled apologetically. "His name is Atton. Atton Rand. He found me in- well, it's a long story."

"Atton?" Adaliah was surprised, but then realized that she shouldn't have been. Taliana mirrored her brother in almost every way. Her long hair shone with a golden tint, and her chocolate eyes were warm and sensitive and humorous, just as her brother's eyes were. She had the same full, firm lips, and the same soft heart, Adaliah observed through the Force.

"I haven't seen your brother this morning, do you know where he is?" Adaliah asked hopefully. Her heart sank as the young woman's brow furrowed and she shook her head.

"I'm sorry, I don't know where he is. Mission woke me this morning and whisked me away to this landing bay to see you off, and I expected him to be here-" once again, Adaliah noticed the soft twinkle in Taliana's eyes "-but I haven't seen him. No one else seems to miss him much." She gave a light laugh.

"I was hoping to see him before I left. I don't exactly know when I'll be able to get back here," Adaliah confided. "But don't tell anyone I said that. I don't want them to worry."

"We're all worried," Taliana said. "For you, for Revan. Even for the galaxy."

"So am I," Taliana said, shaking her head a little, "so am I."

"Adaliah?" Mical tapped the Exile on the shoulder. Taliana gave a little nod and withdrew, perhaps sensing that the conversation had come to a close.

Adaliah turned to face the Disciple. "Yes, Mical?" She asked softly.

"I don't know what kind of things are out there, awaiting you. But I beg you to realize that you cannot fight this war on your own. And that's what it is, it's a war. I just want you to know that if you ever need friends, here we are. We beg you to use us," he said.

Adaliah couldn't help but be touched by the sweet, sincere words. She smiled at Mical and touched his cheek the way a sister touches her brother's, "Mical, you've changed so much in so little a time," she said. "You no longer ask so many questions, but instead you give answers. I can feel that the turmoil in you has settled. You're becoming new," Adaliah told him.

"I can feel it as well," Mical said. "I know I haven't always been the best student-"

"On the contrary, you have been-"

"Please, Adaliah," Mical shook his head. "I know that there is no such thing as a perfect pupil, and I do not claim to be anywhere near one. I know that my questions have kept you awake, burdened you. And my answers to your questions... they were not always better than my questions."

"Mical," Adaliah said, looking into his clear blue eyes, "you have been the best student I could have ever hoped for. I can feel that you will be a great Jedi someday, and people will look up to you, and seek your wisdom. You think more than any of us, and I think that's wonderful, for it has taught me to think also."

"But this isn't what I really wanted to say," Mical twisted his fingers together. "What I wanted to say was that I believe you to be the most honorable woman I have ever known, and the best teacher I could have wished for. Whether or not you return to us, I will follow all you teach and have already taught me. I hope- I pray- that you will come back to us."

"So do I, Mical," Adaliah said, putting her arm around him for a quick embrace. Mical warmly returned her gesture, holding her close to his chest for a moment, then gently releasing her and moving back into the crowd, mingling with the others who were awaiting the perfect moment to talk with their Exile.

Visas was the next to step forward and take Adaliah's hand. "Exile, I have never had a chance to tell you how grateful I am to you. You saved my life."

Adaliah's blue eyes blurred with tears. She was not the hero these people wanted her to be. She was amazed at how openly they were showing their love and loyalty. It made her want to sing, weep and dance all at once, but more importantly:

It made her just want to be herself.


	15. Desicion

Adaliah stepped into her slaves' quarters on the Ishi Tib's ship, wiping away the last of the farewell tears. There was no time to cry anymore. She and the droids had been returned to the Ishi Tib's ship, and the Ishi Tib were to take her to their masters just as they had originally planned. Bastila Shan had erased the memories of recent events, and they were now on board their ship, unconscious. When their ship was released into space, they would be released from their torpid state, and would remember nothing. It was possible-of course-that their masters would find out what had happened to them, but Adaliah was banking on the assumption that they would care very little.

She did wish, however, that she had caught at least a glimpse of Atton. He had not appeared in the landing bay, and no one knew where he was. She couldn't imagine that he would abandon her like this, and it was strange that no one could account for him. The _Longwing _was not quite big enough for Atton to hide in for very long. She couldn't begin to imagine what had become of him, and it was better for her not to. She wouldn't think of it, that would only ruin everything.

She crouched on the floor, feeling the vibrations of the little ship being lifted off of it's landing feet. She could feel the slight sucking motion as the ship was released from the _Longwing_ and drifted out into space. The Ishi Tib would soon awaken and continue on their way to the rendezvous with their masters. She knew that one of the first things they would do was check up on her-and the droids-and she was not mistaken.

Within twenty minutes, she sensed the swoosh of the ship moving through the vacuum of space. Not long after, the door swooshed open and one of the amphibious men stepped into the room. He said nothing at first, but his eyes swept over her as if he knew she had something to hide. His expression hardened.

"Where is the boy?" He asked in halting basic. "Where did you hide the boy?"

"Boy?" Adaliah shook her head, eyes wide with confusion. "What boy? I don't know what you mean."

"Where you hide him?" The Ishi Tib advanced toward her threateningly. "You hide him somewhere!" He raised his hand to strike her.

"Calm down, frog head," a voice said. "I'm right here."

Adaliah did not move, not even to turn her head to see who was speaking, and the Ishi Tib's hand lowered. His eyes swept over another being, and at last he turned to leave. Adaliah dropped to her knees in relief. She turned her head to see who this "boy" was that the Ishi Tib had been so concerned about, and was suddenly scrambling to her feet as fast as she could.

"Atton Rand!" She cried out, her voice simply seething with anger. "I can't believe you!" She swung her hand at his cheek, but he caught her wrist.

"Hey now! Where's that Jedi spirit of yours?" He asked, pushing her hand back down to her side.

She struck at him again, and again he caught her wrist. She stood still, her chest heaving.

"You really know how to get on a girl's good side," she said, some of the anger seeping from her voice. "First you don't come where a wanted you, then you do come where I don't want you! What did I tell you about coming with me? And why do the Ishi Tib know who you are?"

"Calm down, Adaliah," Atton said, trying to lace his fingers in hers. "I know what you said, but it didn't make any sense to me." He shrugged slightly at her glare. "And as for them knowing me, Bastila's mind wipe helped a little with that. First, she erased their memory, then she was able to implant a memory of me into their minds."

"Atton Rand, have you no sense at all?" Adaliah snapped. "The Ishi Tib may have no idea what happened to them, but the masters will know. The masters will know that they did not ask for you. And, Atton, it is these masters that are the important ones."

"So the Ishi Tib tell them that they picked up both of us," Atton replied. "I'm Force-sensitive, and I'm your friend. A perfect match."

"It's not that simple," Adaliah sighed, shaking her head in frustration.

"What is that simple, then?" Atton asked, his temper spiking.

"You don't understand. When the masters find out that you have messed with their plans, they will most probably kill you for it. There will be no mercy for you. And who knows?" She shrugged. "They may decide to kill me too, for knowing about it." She frowned. "I don't know why you always must learn things the hard way, but sometimes I curse you for it. Not only do you put yourself through the trouble, but you tend to drag others into it as well."

"Adaliah, I'm sorry-"

"No," Adaliah shushed him. "Don't tell me you're sorry. You're not sorry at all, and I haven't even the courage to be all the way angry with you." The last traces of anger were gone from her face, from her silvery blue eyes. No matter what circumstances she found Atton in, she was happy-so happy-that nothing had happened to him. She was relieved to know where he was, and why he was there.

"I was so worried about you," She said softly, leaning against him. "No one knew where you were- or, they did, but they didn't tell me."

"Only Taliana, Bao-Dur and Bastila knew," Atton said. "At least, those are the only ones I told." He seemed to think about something for a moment. "Have you met my sister?"

"Yes, she introduced herself just before I left," Adaliah said. "She looks a lot like you. Except female, of course."

"Of course," Atton replied.

"Everyone else will be worrying about you," Adaliah said. "They seemed pretty worried when I left."

"No, they won't be," Atton said. "Once the _Longwing_ was far enough away from the Ishi Tib's ship, Bao-Dur said he would tell everyone what I had done. Bastila promised to keep it a secret until then. She said she understood."

"Dear, preachy Bastila," Adaliah laughed a little. "I met her in the enclave a long time ago. The poor girl was always as bossy as she is now, and she was shy on top of that. Sometimes shyness is mistaken for haughtiness, but in her case, I think she was truly shy. She didn't make many friends, most of the children didn't like her."

"I don't blame them," Atton said. "I agree, she's wonderful with battle meditation, and she's an amazing Jedi, but she does sometimes think that she has to bear all the galaxy's burdens."

"She does bear them, Jaq," Adaliah replied. "And that is what makes her the way she is now."

"Yeah, but..." Atton shook his head. "I remember when I first met you. I may not have been a Jedi then, but I could see that there was so much weighing you down, but you struggled through it. You even managed to have a sense of humor, a bright side, a playful side. Bastila... She's been so worn down by everything. She should have traveled with you."

"Please," Adaliah shook off his praise. "There are times when I wished that there was a real Jedi traveling with us. Not a broken Exile. Not a manipulative witch who claimed to be a Jedi. The real thing. A role model. Not just for everyone else, but for me, too. I wish my mentor hadn't been so..." She trailed off, unsure how to complete her sentence.

"Wicked?" Atton offered.

"Wicked." Adaliah nodded, grinning.

"I do remember her tricking Mical," Atton recalled with a smug look on his face.

"How did you know that?" Adaliah asked him, staring into his eyes. He gulped, and she gasped. "Atton Rand, you didn't read his mind!"

"Guilty," Atton said sheepishly. "I read most people's minds."

"Well, I hope you stayed away from mine," Adaliah cast him a glare.

"I couldn't read yours, I taught you to play pazaak, remember?" Atton shook his head slightly. "Works a little too well."

"Good thing, too," she said quietly. "You don't _want _to know what goes through my mind sometimes."

"I know," Atton replied simply.

"Atton," Adaliah said with a light frown. "Did you know that you can be incredibly stupid sometimes?"


End file.
